I Promise You
by Lavenderpaw
Summary: An unwanted rivalary,a promise to set right what has turned his and another's life upside down,poachers,expectations,and all the journey along the way will lead young Tanasu to fight for his home,his crown and everyone who matters to him.But will he win?
1. A new era

**A/N/Disclaimer:**I'm a veteran writer but this is my first attempt at a Disney Classic.This is just an intro to all the new characters and then from there the huge story line.No characters are mine except mine.

_The Pridelands_...

Twilight still hung over the large grasslands in the shade of a deep navy tinged with purple sky,starlets that gave off a silverish color flickered in the safety of the occult,until the pushing of the much more viberant glow of dawn partially covered the sky itself.Along with it's emerging,a rush of strong yet coaxing wind seemed to allure the half-dazed animals of the savannah to arise up on their staggering feet,shake of last night's effects and almost in a trance,head for the familiar pointed rock that now had the sun reaching it's tip.At first it appeared deserted but soon a frail and hoary yet determined primate hobbled to the point.

An immediate,calming hush fell over the assembled crowds as two fairly young pairs of lions were in tow of the baboon.Side-by-side,two slightly swaying packages in both their mouths.The monkey turned in time to witness a young female cub of a coat similiar to her great-grandmother's and light jade eyes take a swat at her apparently shy brother,who shrugged up a shoulder to deflect her harmless batting at him.

Pride glowed in both Kovu and Kiara's eyes,as they followed him a bit closer and he was able to stand well enough just in that one spot to receive the two twins.Cradling them to him carefully,he brought them up as high as he could for all to appraise.Harmoniously,unconditionally,did the cubs's subjects raise great reverenment and pure joy for new life that was exhilarated into the heavens above.Upon all the living,a king of the past watched the festivities taking place below,though his reign hadn't been too long ago itself.

_A couple months later_...

Tanasu tried to at least pretend to be asleep,firmly keeping his lids down and his breathing in a certain pace to keep up the appearance.However,he could very easily perceive his younger sister of a only just a few minutes younger staring him in the eyes until he aroused.It wasn't that Ceree actually wanted him to tag along with her and the other few cubs around but he knew she couldn't leave unless he came with her.

"Come on,bonehead."Her nagged him testily,placing her big paws upon his back and bequeathed yet another uncomfortable shake on his shoulder blades."Before Mom and Dad get up,let's go right now."

The very idea of sneaking away made Tanasu's insides cripple with jitters,but excited jitters nonetheless and he allowed a museful grin to cross his golden brown muzzle."_Yeah_,"he replied under his breath,rising to his feet and just making Ceree's figure out in the cave's still shadowy interior."Cool idea.We better..."

But before he could go,a feeling of warning entered him and caused him to pause from leaving with his sister.Partly,because he was having second thoughts about the possible consequences and partly due to the fact that it wasn't like Ceree to want to include him in anything that came as a shock to him.Judging by the at first questioning look now she had worn now gone guilt-ridden,he knew there was a third part.

"Need I ask where you're going my young ward?"His mouth's voice whispered down softly to him from the darkness and he peered up to see her good-naturedly looming above.He sensed her lower herself down to the top of his head,her warm breaths caressing his mane tuft as she continued in a sagacious voice."Certainly you aren't planning to sneak off with you're sister without permission,were you Tanasu?"

Instantly,Ceree was at his side."No,Mama.Of course we weren't sneaking off,"she held herself higher on all fours to make for a more maturescent appearance,her voice lofty yet confident."We just wanted fresh air."

"Yes!"Tanasu picked up the forefront,nodding enthusiastically at his mother."That's exactly what we were trying to do."he wrinkled his snout."It gets so stuffy and musty in here,sometimes it's really hard to breath."

"Is that so?"Kiara eyed the two sharply but dismissed scolding them by gracefully falling to the ground and promptly reaching over to pull both of them over towards her at the same time."I suppose if I want to find out the truth,I'm going to have to do it the hard way and bathe the confession out of the two of you then."

"No,Mama,no!"The two of them wailed and protested repeatedly,their little claws scraping across the stone floor in vain to keep them from a most tortured fate but to no avail,soon both were being lapped at expertly and being held down gently yet securely by their mother's strong arms."Mama,come on!Stop!I'm clean!"

Flushed,Tanasu finally managed to pull away and shot his sister a look.She had recovered quite well and the only noticable difference was some of her darkly tannish fur flattened down.Tanasu shuddered inwardly,out of both of them,he normally turned out the worse.And it wasn't just in grooming,it was just about everything.

Suddenly,Tanasu felt another presence lingering behind his mother."You two know better then to hold back the truth or in this case lie,"he heard his father's firm voice and then caught the sheen of his ebony mane in the sun that now filitered inside as he emerged up by his wife."And you,Tanasu,shouldn't always listen to your sister's crazy ideas.Just because she might want to get herself into trouble,doesn't mean you should follow."

"But it wasn't even my idea to go in the first place,"The cub dared to venture,sounding unfairly offended.

Kovu shook his head."No,son.It may have been wrong of her,but being the oldest and the male,you should have taken into account your sister's actions and put a stop to it."he told him in a calmed but direct tone.

"Well,"Ceree inserted hesistantly at first and then blurted out."It really wasn't _all_ his fault,Daddy.If he hadn't of wanted to go,I would have went anyway,"her eyes oddly turned hopeful."So it really was all _my_ fault."

"It wasn't a good show of character for you either,young lady."He temporarily turned his attention to her but was flashed his narrowed emerald eyes right back onto his now shrinking son."I don't want to have to punish you to get through to you to be a good role model,"he gave his son a slight push."Now go off and play,but I don't want you to get into any more trouble.As king someday,you're going to have to learn to be noetic son."

Not bothering to try to guess what that meant,he eagerly took his father's permisson to leave and scampered after his sister.The two had a race down to the bottom,hopping over stones and then sprinting over the grass towards the meeting place they met their friends.Shadows still lengthed the dewy ground as the sun finished it's complete ascension into plaining view and Tanasu would have enjoyed keeping up the unusally close and possible tie they were having,when a light silverish figure appeared before them and he had to avert this eyes.

"Hey,Ceree."Rashow greeted the cub with a wide grin and briefly gave Tanasu a sideways glance."Loser."

"_Rashow_..."Ceree hissed at him incredulously."We agreed,him losing the coconut was just an accident."

"No,_he's_ just an accident,"Tanasu felt the cub's glassy blue eyes bore into him."What's makes you think were going to let a freak like you play,anyways?"his tone grew more condenscending."Well?Aren't you going to face me,Loser freak?Or has the rest of your face already caved in and you can't even hear or see anymore."

It was true,since birth he had a deformity on the lower portion of his left eye,it sunk somewhat inward though aside from that he was perfectly normal and healthy.Tanasu use to turn away from being called names,then he began to stand up more when his sister started defending him alot but now he was determined to try alone.

"What if I got another one,"He spoke up all of a sudden suggestingly,raising his downcast eyes to meet the unfriendly ones of Rashow."A better one,then we could all use it to finish where we left off on our game."

At first it seemed as if the cub had made a mistake by the still narrowing of Rashow's eyes but the beaming of encouragement that Ceree sent him seemed to make him began to consider reluctantly.The final decision was made when another two more cubs padded up to either side of Rashow and awaited right along with them.

Finally,a little smirk flitted across his muzzle."Fine,Tanastupid.You want to be friends with us?Then you have to go to where the highest trees are and get the roundest coconut you can find."his smirk widened."Can you?"

Tanasu turned to his sister,who gave him a disapproving look."You shouldn't have to prove yourself like that just to hang around with us,"she continued reasoningly to Rashow."Let's give him one more chance,Rashow."

"No."He told her with the utmost patience."Loser wants to be one of us,he's gotta prove himself one of us."

"I thought it would be okay at first but the tallest trees are too far away,we got caught trying to sneak out and I really don't want us to get into anymore trouble."her voice held a slight pleading note."I want to go play now."

"And as _leader_ of this club,I say your bumbling brother has to get another coconut!"Rashow rebuked her.

Frightened because of the icy way Rashow glared at his sister,he announced suddenly."I'll do it!"

But he felt driven to prevent a feud but even more so to fit in with the rest of them,he was convinced himself that there was nothing wrong with him but he just never seemed to please anyone,always took the blame it seemed like.However,this was a chance to prove himself and he was willing to take any chance,any time.

"Tanasu..."Ceree began to argue,a hint of hurt in her words.

But one nearly trimphant smile across Rashow's face sent a wave of anger rippling through the cub,crinkling his muzzle and swishing his tail from side-to-side,he gave a small nod and headed off wordlessly towards his new destination;his resolution made firmer by the bursts of laugther he heard in his wake,initiated by Rashow.

_Further along the pridelands_...

Atop a large boulder,a large male tiger slept soundly even as the morning sun flooded his roost with lighted swaths carrying the signal to awaken,which he lazily kept at bay.But the gentle yet relentless tugging at one of his ear lobes began to slowly coax the feline to gaze down fondly upon his offspring,who smiled expectantly.

Myron chuckled deeply and crossed his huge paws while he straightened himself up."Whatever happened to sleeping in?I allowed to stay up well past your normal sleeping hour the night before.Again you wish to go?"

Swerving her ears back,the young tigeress cub tilted her head and looked at him cutely from the top of her large dark azure eyes."Please,Papa.,"she pouted slightly."I always do what I'm told and I'm very well rested."

"Enough to stay out of mischief?"He challenged semi-playfully down at his kissing up daugther.

"Always,"Imani replied with a giggle and hopped onto her father's back to keep him from actually kissing her.

The two rolled around over the flat rock for a few minutes,Myron was quick but the cub adeptly avoided his attempts to catch her as she climbed and plodded all over him.Finally when she had stood right on top of her father's head,he pretended to nod back off to sleep.Disheartened,Imani glanced down into his two shut lids.

In a flash,they were open and he surpised her with a single,deep-voiced word he boomed at her."Boo!"

"_Yikes_!"

She tried to escape but her father pinned her down docilely with one paw and used the other to poke just slightly at her underarm,causing Imani to squeal out with laugther,the familiar tingling sensation going through her body.At long last,she was able to shove his paw off but not before leaping onto his now retreating arm.

"What's this?The catch of the day?"He stated with feigned surprise,his eyes comically becoming enlargened.

Myron brought his daugther closer to him and nuzzled his pink nose against the side of her face,in which she returned the sign of affection by pushing hers up against his muzzle,releasing a contented humming of purr before Imani felt herself being moved away from him and then felt the soft earth make contact with her paws.

"Just becareful,"he warned her,his voice and eyes marked by firmness."I don't want you wandering too far."

Imani nodded understandingly."Got it,Papa.Becareful,don't wander off too far and go hunting by myself."

She hadn't gotten much distance away when she heard him call out loudly."What was that last one,Imani?"

"Don't wander off too far."Was her smug reply over her shoulder and then she headed out,undaunted.

Myron watched on gravely,recalling past events that had lead up to the demise of his wife before Imani could even remember but he trusted her.Even long after she had ran off to play and roam,he knew that she kept her word and that she would without a doubt keep come home.Suddenly tired again,the tiger resumed his sleep.

To Be Continued...

**Last A/N:**Just to be clear,the pronunciation of these new characters are as follows:Ceree (Sa-ear-ra-e),for Tanasu it's (Ta-nah-sue),Rashow it's (Raw-sha-ow) and Imani (A-man-e) which means 'Faith'.The story will pick up with the two cubs meeting and then the real plot going in motion.Thanks for reading thus far.

LP


	2. His hero

Shards of sunlight escaped the large canopy of trees that fluttered and swayed slighty in the cool near mid-day breeze.It had took Tanasu a while and had left him struggling to catch his breath but eventually his small sides stopped pumping so hard and a sense of control came to him once more.Now,he sat and gaped in great awe at the seemingly endless trunk of a palm tree.He could see the large furry brown orbs well but they were just so high up above.

"What'cha doing?"Came a casual inquiry made by a youthful female voice.

The sound made the cub yelp in surprise and leap around to confront his visiter.When he did,he was staring into the confident if not arrogant cobalt eyes of a tigeress cub.But there was something else there,something he found himself instantly drawn to and made his insides feel fluttery.But Tansu stoof up straighter,he felt compelled to make himself looked undaunted.

"I was going to climb this tree and collect a coconut to take back to my friends."

She gave him a skeptical look."No offense but you really don't look like you'd be able to."

"Why?"Tanasu suddenly shot challengingly at her."Do you think you'd be able to?"

"I don't think,"She replied coolly and bringing up her striped paw,tracted out her fine black claws to their fullest length."I act.If all you are is talk,you might as well just go back home."

This caused confusion to arouse up in him."What?You're not planning to climb that tree are you?"his eyes retraced the length of the gigantic palm tree."What do _you_ need a coconut for?"

"A coconut?"The cub laughed absurdly."Nothing.But,"she eased up on her haughtiness and studied him over."You really seem like you need one,I could help you if you want me to."

Tanasu perked up at this but then only leered at her,others had offered assistance to him in the past and there had always been a price to it.Whether it was doing something even more difficult or if it was just to be caught in a trick merely so he could be laughed at.No matter how oddly good she made him feel,he wasn't about to be subdued to whatever she had planned.

"What's in it for you?"He leaned forward and eyed her uncertainly.

At that moment,she took an akward step back and he realised she had just seen tooken notice of the other side of his face.Self-consciously,Tanasu retreated over some as well but from the corner of his good eye he saw her shrug it off and then spring up onto the tall tree.She didn't seem to have be loosing and the contest to keep herself from sliding downwards went to her.

Tanasu watched with amazement as she ascended the tree,digging and gripping her unusally long ebony claws into the sturdy bark as she slowly but surely made her way up.Finally the tigeress cub made it to the intrisic base of the brances.She was just an obscure figure to him but that hardly mattered as she plucked a coconut off and holding it up triumphantly for him to witness,started to gracefully make her way down and land right next to him in a grand pose.

"That..."A wide grin creeped across his face and he blurted out."That was _awesome_!"

She nodded with the utmost approvement of his praise."Wasn't it though?So,"her eyes fell to him as she placed her prize under her paw,rolling it about as she did."I'm Imani.Who are you?"

Trying to tone down his unnecessary mirth,he replied back a bit meekly as he stared at the ground and started to shift some dirt around with the stubs of his golden brown paw."Tanasu."

"Well,Tanasu..."Her voice held a lofty note."You asked if there was a catch,right?"

"Yeah."

"Well...there is."She now sounded keyed up."You're going to have to _catch_ me first."

His eyes darted up to find her scampering away.A feeling of resentment welled up in him and made him give chase after her.Though he was faster,she expertly was able to dodge his fruitless attempts at trying to take her down.It lasted for several minutes until the effects of not having ate,coupled with his earlier running caught up with him and he had to pause for rest.

"What?"Imani laughed at him condenscendingly,trotting back up to him."Am I too much for you or are you just waiting to pull a fast one on me?Either way,no one ever catchs up with me anyway so don't feel too,too bad.Maybe if you practice more then someday you'll be able to-"

Her sentence was jerkingly cut off and that made him finally look over at her only to find a paralyzed expression etched in her features.At first he wondered if it was even possible for her to look that way but his realisation of the horror they were in soon came to pass as he felt an unfamiliar,rather rough handling on the scuff of his neck.It was different then he was use to and not just in the way he was being picked up but it was like there was more of a gripping to it.

When Tanasu finally got a look from where he dangled,his umber eyes appraised the dark face of a strange creature.The inital shock of seeing the masked face didn't last for long,but only grew in strength into a entirely new direction.For when he looked down again,he saw that the creature walked on two feet and was much,much taller then the primates he had seen.

"Imani...?"He turned his attention over to her,his voice quivery.

She didn't reply but instead was snarling and was clawing at him wildly,her little arms swinging over her head to reach her assailant but to no avail.Tanasu,his mind racing,attempted the same act as well.The cubs fought as the two tall creatures in masks and uniform took them up to a large flatbed truck that had thick steel-barred cages stacked and aligned all on top of it's back.

Not even getting a chance to be curious about this strange new contraption,Tanasu heard a grating noise that rattled his eardrums and felt himself be tossed carelessly into one of the cages,the cool metal rubbing uncomfortably under his stomach.He stayed like that for a minute as the sounds of slamming reached his ears and a rumbling sensation brought him to his feet.

Shaking himself off,he was about to look out when the abrupt movement behind him flung him forward and made him hit up against the firm bars,slight pain stringing around his shoulders and the side of his face where the deformity was.The fading trees seemed to ripple and dance before his eyes in the sunlight and a figure that he might have tooken for someone in his dream by the appearance their form showed,however,he soon realised it wasn't a figure of his dream.

Not one at all.It was his father,his strict,nearly intolerant father who he sometimes wished was more then just a dictator in his life,was galloping after them in flurrys of sandstorms jetting out in large sideways profusions as they sped away.Encouraged,Tanasu came closer and glanced to Imani who was gnawing on one of the side bars but seemed to be disliking it's strong taste.

"Imani!"He called over to her excitedly."Look!Look,it's my father.He'll rescue us.Just look."

The tigeress sent him a withering look but a spark had entered her eyes when she saw that he was indeed telling the truth and not only for that,for not only was Kovu in a mad rush after the truck but Imani's father Myron had taken up residency beside the lion.Thrill and fear both intermingled within Tanasu as he watched his father in suspense,urging him on in his thoughts.

Both felines were gaining fast but and though Kovu nearly tripped over a rock,Myron was on the rear end and was snapping at it's bumper.When he could reach it,his eyes raised up to meet his daugther's.From what Tanasu saw,it was like the two were sharing an understanding.They both loved each other and he bet they had fun together.Deeply,he wished that for that bond.

"Tanasu!"

His father's hoarse shout from him brought him out of his wistful daze and he watched with a sense of hope as Kovu was back on course and near the bumper now.The lion's emerald eyes where strong-willed,his large muscles flexed with well accustomed fitness as he leapt into the air and caught onto the front of the bars that seemed narrower,rattling the cage a bit as he did.

"Dad!"Tanasu placed placed his front paws up onto the inside of the bars,his head fell though as he realised the sort of peril he had gotten them into."Dad..."his voice was low,almost sobbing."Dad,I'm so sorry.I shouldn't have disobeyed,shouldn't done any of this...I...I..."

He felt a touch under his chin as his father moved his head up so that their eyes met,for the first time there was no hint of scolding nor firmness...only sadness.Pure sadness and possibly regret.But Tanasu knew not if it was for him or if it was for his father,he knew he was probably never going to know.At the last second,he saw his father open his muzzle to speak but a jolting of the truck made him loose his footing and Tanasu watched,horror-stricken,as his father fell.

Kovu clinged to the metal bumper like a lifeline,his feet come out from under him at the vechile picked up speed.Slowly,the lion made climbed up enough to be able to just hold on tightly.A clutching to his throat and a dread nearly consumed him but the adrenline surging through him at seeing his father's heroics caused the young cub to reach out and clasp his father's paw when he saw it being extended up to him.He held,wrapped his small arm around his paw and held it.

"I won't let go Dad..."Tanasu told him through gritted teeth."I promise,Father.I won't let go."

But it wasn't enough,the next bump had even more power and caused the earth-shattering feel of his father's paw to slip in his grasp.Desperately,Tanasu searched the swirls of dirt and sand that curled into the air in the thick embankment of their wake,though not seeing as to whether or not his father had made it out alright.For in that one moment,father and son had connected just briefly.Much to Tanasu's happiness and heart ache,for a first and very possibly final time.

To Be Continued...

**A/N:**Did Kovu...?Are Tanasu and Imani...?Will they ever...?Find out soon.

LP


	3. Twice in the same day

_Back at the Pridelands_...

Ceree watched from her perch atop the point of Pride rock,her tail curling and un-curling around her legs.It had been a long time since Tanasu had ventured out by himself and her father had gone after him as a result.Worry once again won over to her but she tried to appear normal as she sensed her mother's presense behind her,musefully absentminded.

"Mom?"

"Hmm?"Kiara awnsered back in a still phantasmagoric tone."What it is,darling?"

Ceree winced at the thought."You don't think something bad happened,do you?"

"Ceree,"Her mother laughed softly and placing her paw on her daugther's side,coaxed her up closer to her,to where she could feel her mother's deep breathing which felt like a giant pump inflating and deflating."I'm sure your brother and father are just fine,don't worry so."

She nodded slowly,gradually takig comfort in the older cat's logic."You're right.They-"

"Kovu!"Kiara exclaimed in surprise all of a sudden.

The sound that her father had returned instantly made Ceree brighten and she turned with an expected grin plastered on her face,only to find the lion returning in a slunking sort of manner.His head and shoulders uncharacteristically held down,he wouldn't even meet her or her mother's eyes as he wordlessly sat down by his wife and raised his face skyward.

Curious,her light emerald eyes followed his seeking gaze up into starch azure sky,with very thin white sprays of clouds every so often.Finally,she heard her father explain the outcome of her brother's fate.Every different and sometimes bizzare word he put into trying to tell his family he had seen what became of her brother...and eventually,after what seemed like for hours,he took a shaking intake of breath and finished by telling them that the possiblity of never seeing him again was immient.That he was too far to reach now.

But that idea struck the young lioness as not different,not bizzare but absurd.Her father had tried to save him,she understood that.Though that didn't mean they couldn't try a new method and it certainly didn't mean Tanasu couldn't find his way back.Kiara's very nearly inaudible weeping caused Ceree to pay mind that both her parents were presently and rather dramatically in the cub's oppion,mourning.Mourning for a loss but not really a _loss_.

"So what?"She spoke up,trying to keep the quivering note that threatened to enter her voice out."Were just giving up?"her glare and tone were accusatory nearly to them."Right here and right now,were not even going to keep faith that he'll return to us maybe."

Kovu gave his daugther a look of compassion,while explaining gently."Ceree,if you could live in a world where it was safe to dream and hope,then I'd let you by all means.But this is the real world and you have to face the fact that it's unlikely we'll see him.Ever again."

Still highly doubtful,she directed an expected look towards her mother.Surely she would side with Ceree,she nearly always did with the two cubs on a lot of things but now her mother merely stood there with her face buried into her husband's shoulder,ears folded back and eyes away from Ceree's.Why wouldn't she look at her?Why wouldn't she just promptly disagree with the lion's thesis.There had to be a way,there just had to be one...

"Mama?"Ceree inquired her mother hesitantly,walking more towards her."What do you think?Don't you think it's possible that he'll come back?I mean,there's a chance right?"

"Ceree,"Kovu told her warningly."Do not put your mother on the spot like this."

"It's all right,Kovu."

After a spell,Kiara turned partially still damp hazel-red eyes onto her daugther.Youthful hope and optimism brimmed the child's eyes.She was so young,so naive and yet Kiara couldn't take the logical,grudingly more truthful approach.Try as she might,her disciplinary streak never had ran at full capacity.Slowly,she allowed a maternal smile to graze her soft,cream-colored muzzle,a part of her as well taken in by her daugther's strong will.

"Yes,"she told her daugther confirmingly."There's always a chance he will return."

Kovu appeared uneasy with allowing that sort of explanation but one look at his beaming daugther and he sighed dismissfully.Taking a paw,he scooted her forward and nodded to the cave,a non-compromisable gesture that he wanted time alone with his wife to discuss cub scampered off from the two,leaving them to themselves.

"Kiara,"Kovu started admonishingly."We were feeding her false hope,I told you when they were first born that I wanted to raise our cubs to be rational,down to earth thinkers."

"We alone can't determine who they both will grow to be."Kiara replied patiently,erecting herself a little more into her sitting position."Young ones need hope,it's in their nature."

"We've been through this,"he continued,his voice firming a bit."You know the reason why I put so much pressure on our son is so he won't make wrong mistakes.Hopefully when the time comes,he would have met a queen who suited him and together they could've..."

Kovu trailed off when he realised he had begun speaking in the past tense,it became even more realer when Kiara nestled her head on his shoulder.Automatically,he rose up more over and leaned more protectively into her,as if to ward off the demons of harsh reality.

The king stared out onto the savannah,at the different,happy-go-lucky families who were oblivious to the fact that they had just lost their future king.Unless he ever returned,his crown would be bestowed upon his sister.What had gone wrong?Kovu wondered.Had he not tried hard enough,too hard perhaps?All he ever wanted to do was what he felt was best for his son,which meant trying to prevent his son from following the path he once led.

_Later_...

The beginning of night swathed over the young cubs in a dark yet still tangible haze,they laid silently beside one another in their serperate cages,their backs pressed up against the bars.Lost in thought,Tanasu glanced over at Imani.Her copper and ebony striped back rose and fell in a rythem and he wondered if she was okay.Care for her well being flooded him and he was about to say something in reassurance when he felt a poke on his head.

"Hey!"He said in perplexion,patting at his tuft of mane."Who-who did that?"

"Did what?"Imani inquired curiously,finally sitting up and looking at him.

Tanasu felt a slight conking on his scalp this time."Ow!"he moaned and glowered at her as if she had the awnser,this time rubbing the spot."_That_.Something hit me on the head."

"Don't look at me,"The tigeress cub remarked coolly."I've been over here all along."

His brows rose slightly."Well..."he began protractingly."If you didn't do it,then who did?"

"That'd be me."A chipper voice rang in a somewhat sing-song voice."Obika,actually."

The two looked up in unison to stare into the round yellow eyes of a Vervet monkey not more then a year old gazing down into their eyes.His fur was a light ashy brown and he dangled down from his strong tail at the top of his cage but his long fingers gripped the top bars of Tanasu's cage.With renewed pique,he challenged up at the primate reproachingly.

"What the big idea?You could've given me a headache."

Obika tapped his cheek in thought and then turned back to the lion cub,telling him casually."I didn't know any other way to get your attention."he tilted his head slightly."Both of you look like you met with the wrong end of the cobra.You're not both sad,are you?"

"Boy,"Imani inserted sardonically."It's like you're a feeling reader or something."

The monkey seemed to uncomprehendingly find her insult amusing."Was that a joke?"

An ickle sweet smile crossed her ivory muzzle."Did you laugh?"

"Uh,no."

Her smile vanished."Then it wasn't a joke."

"Don't be mean,Imani.He's just being friendly."Tanasu spoke up in his defense,directing an acceptant look in Obika's direction."So,do you know where they're taking us?I mean..."he turned suddenly hopeful."Are they going to take us back home when the time is right?"

"Oh,"His eyes suddenly lit up and he clapped."That reminds me,I have a plan to escape."

"A plan?"Imani perked up as well,asking giddily."You have one?Wow!I mean,how?"

"Firstly,"Tanasu interrupted sternly,getting in her face slightly."You have to say your sorry for not keeping your promise and for hurting that monkey's...uh,what's his name again..."

"...Obika."

"Yeah,"He slipped him a quick wink."You have to apologize for hurting _Obika's_ feelings."

After detestingly apologising under her breath,Obi went to work at unlocking his cage and then moved down to the cub's.In the midst,Tanasu caught Imani's crestfallen expression.

"Hey,"he told her encouragingly."It's going to work,you just have to have a little faith."

Imani shook her head in doubt."But what if it doesn't,Tanasu?It's so late and my daddy is probably already giving up.The pride land's are so big,"her voice reflected guilt."I should have listened to him and stop thinking I could handle everything on my own;cause,I can't."

"Not alone."Tanasu replied correspondingly,placing his large paw atop hers and causing her to raise her sapphire hued eyes to met his."But together.I'll stick with you,I promise."

He thought he could see the faintest smile lurking on her white muzzle,when the fingering noises died down and the grating sound of the latch coming off broke the moment.Glad to be able to feel a sense of freedom again,he made his way over,all the while sensing Imani was right at his side as they moved towards the edge but only then did he remember.

The suddenly jolting stop of the truck and the surprised cries of some unseen animals up ahead caused Tanasu to once again fall back but this time it wasn't into the cold bars,it was into the air,his small body pierecing it with a sharp but silent swish.He thought he was dead then,he had to be.If his father might not have survived the fall,how could he?But the feel of someone gripping his wrist,breaking his horrible fall sent a flash of sudden hope within him.

They stayed like that,Tanasu staring out into the voidless wonder of night,swaying a bit.But finally,he felt himself being lowered onto the ground and Obika telling him through the darkness that he was now doing Imani's.Extremely anxious,the cub bounced and moved around in place to keep himself prequipped.Just as the grating noise began,an loud roaring noise droned it out and a spewing of exhaustion went into his face,causing him to cough.

"Is everything okay?"Tanasu asked the stricken primate who was directly in front of him."I mean,is everyone okay?"he moved up a little closer,asking Obika nervously."Is she here?"

"No,"he replied back in a quiet voice."The metal thing was too jerky,I couldn't hold on."

The two stayed silent after that for a while,in the starless night that on occasion made the more natural sound's of the savannah.Even as his new friend began to talk about maybe the cub coming to stay with him,all that mattered was that he had broken two promises in one day and that he was now mile after rolling mile away from home,a victim of nature's wrath.

To Be Continued...

**A/N:**Don't know what a Vervet monkey is,look it up.lol.We go into adulthood next ch.

LP


	4. What comes from pain

_Year's later_...

She lurked patiently behind her thick steel bars in the shadows casted down from a flickering little orange light,her mind fixed upon the arrival of what the beings who had held her captive for all this time called a 'Tamer'.Only to add to the horror,Imani could not communicate back with these tall bipeds but that they could talk amoungst themselves.She had grown into a large and very capable young tigeress,despite being locked in a cage for prolonged hours,she had gotten many chances to run and build strength;especially from her many attempts at escaping.

The rememberance of those foolish actions had cost her dearly and she glanced down at an old wound that had been sustained so harshly upon her that fateful day that it had caused fur to have a hard time regrowing there.Imani swallowed hard,trying to forget the skin-threshing lash that dove brutally into her flesh.Fortunately,someone had been on hand that day to help her.

Imani heard the latch on the door handle come loose and the squeaking of the hinges as a thin man in his mid-thirtes floated into the room over-confidently as usual.His green eyes sweeped over her,causing an irriated growl to slip out of her mouth.He was trying to intimidate her as he always did,to which Imani barely paid mind to.But something triggered her to alertness at him fingering the long whip that lay in it's leather case on the table.This was too strange,he had never been permitted to even look at it and now he had it gripped in his long,spindly fingers.

"Now,Now,"The Tamer's 'assistant' spoke to her gently,a wicked grin slowly working it's way across his tanned features as he approached Imani."The boss is in sick and you need to have your daily session for the mission you are going to perform tommorow."his eyes turned into narrow slits."Because you're going to do what you've been breed to do,even though it'll be-"

She unleashed an ear-splitting roar and ceasing her pacing,crouched down on her hunces to await him._Imagine if the Tamer catches him with that_.Imani thought,malevolently hopeful.

As he drew near,he slid the long slick weapon out that gave off a little sheen on the brown handle,while the rest of it remained dull and deadly as ever.Imani heard him give a snicker as he rose it over his head and poised.Her eyes dilated momentarily and she went for it as it went pierecing through the dancing candle lights but before it ever made contact with it's necessary target,Imani shot her paw up and caught the end of the whip as it latched around her in a continuous spiral until it stopped at the top and she gave a sideways grin at his flabbergastion.

Coolly,she yanked him over her way as he gave a shriek and they came face-to-face.Turning the matter over more seriously,Imani eased her ebony claws in a clasping around his throat;but couldn't act as the beating open of the heavy door against the wall made her freeze up and the one sight that could instill long since developed fear,surfaced then and caused her to back up.

"Louis,"A raspy voice accousted the other man,a lumbering older man with over-sized attire,a ashy hue of skin and beady,penetrating dark green and brown eyes lurched toward them."I thought I a-told you the only time I want you's in here is to feed this here cat,not otherwise."

The man's form of apology was to hurriedly launch into a babbling,stuttering state of words as the Tamer only made a low grunting noise and continued to pass him to where he came to the table and rolled out a map.Finally clamping a hand on his mouth,he pulled Louis over to him.

"Look it here."His voice had taken on it's professioned tone,as he ran his large finger along the slightly torn,musty-looking map that Imani could only see the curled ends from where she was at."This is where we found them cubs,"he moved his finger along,jabbing down hard."And _this_ is where we are.We need to get the tigeress back here,so she can lead us to the others."

Louis's face clouded and he shook his head disapprovingly."N-"he prised the Tamer's hand off of his mouth."Sir,the possiblity of that happening is weak.Tigers are sole stalkers and the very likihood of her meeting any tigers,lions,et cetra would just be a chance encounter.Nothing..."

He trailed off at the Tamer's menacing glower."You tryin' to tell me how'ta do my job?"

"Uhh..."Louis shrank back,his hands up and his voice quivering."No.But that's why you hired me,sir."his words grew more hopeful as he reminded him quickly."To help you understand the nature and living preferences of these most majestic creatures before you,erm,poach them."

The Tamer straightened and chuckled with satisfaction."And ya come right out and say it,don't ya Louis?"he turned down and grabbed onto the man's collar,pulling him to his feet."You's just come right out en say's it right here and there for me ta hear.It finally comes out,don't it Lou?"

"What..."he gulped hard."What would that be,sir?"

"To rid the world of these infernal creaturers,a'course."The Tamer casted a lingering look over on Imani."That's why I needed to let this one here grow up,so it'd be a-leadin' us to it's kind."

Imani watched with ever growing boredom as their shenanigans dragged on,her mind centered on her dreams to return to the world outside,always they seemed further away until they were so out of her reach they put her to sleep.Faith,her father called it,was believing that everything was possible and hope,was to never lose faith.Along the way,she had apparently loss both.

"Now,"The Tamer's coaching voice seeped it's way back into her reality and she moved her sapphire eyes his way."You want to get down in a good stance,keep direct eye contact and wait for the right moment when you don't think they're a-gonna do nuthin'.That's right,wait..."

She nearly hunched back and exposed her teeth,she nearly banged herself up against the cage to try to spook him off but she knew better then that;that her punishment would be grave if she defied him.Bracing herself,pushing down her feelings of usedness and humiliation,Imani bowed her large head and for a moment nothing happened.The Tamer usually did it to her betwist her shoulder blades where it the sting wouldn't last so long,instead he choose another location.

Imani let out a pain-filled growl as the whip burned a place deep in her upper arm,causing her to have to shift her weight quickly and raise the hurt-streaked arm off the floor.More laugther drifted through out the room as she slowly and miserably hobbled away from the two idiots.

"Tommorow,"She heard him say confirmingly."We a-going to let this cat out and she's a-going ta track us down them other cats."he paused to slip Louis a warning look."No matter what no one says,were a-going to tranquilize'er and put'er out with a homin' device to find'er out there."

The floor squeak low and signalled that the wooden station wagon had seen better days.With the chance to see freedom again as her only comfort,Imani lowered herself down despite the deepening pain;which was more emotional then ever physical nowadays.She had long since grown immune to crying for long hours and thinking her father or anyone would ever find her.Her world of own personal gain,whips,nearly uniedible food had greatly made her resilient.

Her tounge tasted salty as she lapped at her new wound,wishing it was someone else's she had personally inflected herself.Some time went by before the door opened again and two T-shirt and jean cladded young girl's aged around thirteen or so and five entered the room very quietly.

A pang of compassion arouse in Imani and she greeted them with a slight smile,knowing that was one of the only ways she could commincate with them.While Anna,the older blond girl got to work preparing the first aid,her younger sister Kelley came to sit in front of Imani and smiled back at the large cat as she brought from behind her a large,oval-shaped bowl of cold milk.

She slowly placed it on the floor and undid the latch that was always used to give the tigeress her meals.When Anna gave her a nod,Kelley grinned and shoved the bowl beneath the raised opening.Some drops sprung out but Imani went right to work of pratically consuming every last content of the yellow bowl.When only a small amount remained,she shoved it back under in a much more gentler fashion and watched as Kelley picked the bowl up to her thin pink tiny lips.

Amused,Imani tried not to chuckle as she fell onto her back while trying to drink up all of the remanents of the beverage.After finishing and lowering the bowl,it became nearly impossible not to react at the girl's white upper lip.It was what these creatures called a 'milk mustace' was what she recalled.Judging by the girl's crinkled eyes and pressed mouth,she had one of her own too.

Inching forward,she let the little girl take a hold of her muzzle and plant a small kiss of her large forehead,in return Imani lathered upon Kelley's soft cheek.Giggling a bit fanatically,she wrapped her arms around Imani's neck and hugged her close which was nearly half the girl's size.Anna told her to move aside as she came up with a thick role of plaster and a big bottle of peroxide.

"Alright,Faith,"She spoke softly,stretching out the bandanging with a skirting noise and taking a rag,she dabbed it with the cleaning liquid and applied it lightly to the fresh mark that she noticed right away once Imani placed her paw on Anna's knees."Well,this is certainly a different place."

"What if Uncle Paul catches us in here?"Kelley inquired her sister,apprehension marked in eyes and voice."Then he won't take us back to live with Mama and it's been almost a whole year."

"He won't catch us,"Anna told her simply,offically ending the arguement."Now hand me that plaster I sat down."she tore off a long strip and with the large cat's paw resting on her knees,she got to work with wrapping it tightly and the pain Imani felt lessened."There now,good as new."

The familiar stiffening came to her limb and she thought with relief that it would be better in the morning as were all the wounds she recieved,even if they had only been doing it to her more often as she had just reached the peak of adulthood.Imani purred appreciatively when Anna reached over to scratch behind her ear.Reveling,the tigeress threw her head back and exposed long her white neck.When she felt Anna's hand leave,she opened her eyes to see them giving a final fairwell smile to her.Automatically,she smiled back at them.She the two of them so much.

"We'll get you out before they come for you tommorow,"Anna told her solemnly."I promise."

_Promise?_Imani thought sadly,as she placed her head down on her right arm and watched as the candle light went out with a quick blew._Yeah,promise_,_where have I heard that before_...

But still,she couldn't help but wonder what had went wrong and then felt herself nod off.

To Be Continued...


	5. Refudge or refuse?

**A/N:**Yep,this is where they reunite.Enjoy...

_At the edge of a jungle_...

The whooping and hollering from Vervet monkeys came from the tops of somewhat drooping palm trees,as primates of every shape and size manuvered their way around with dexterous execution from one to tree to the next.Though one sole creature stood out and that creature happened to be a lion that perched himself up on one of the highest branches,watching his brethren's antics.It wasn't that he didn't often join them,it was just that today he didn't have the energy nor drive to contribute to their fun jests.

Tanasu had come to live with the animal who had rescued him that night he had been abducted;shame had deep-rooted itself into him about the incident.He had told Obika that first night he planned to go back home the next morning.Unforunately,he hadn't a clue on how to get home and eventually came to loving life just the way it was.Today was any typical day for anyone else and usually for Tanasu it was as well.But there was something that felt out of place and for some reason he felt the need to find out.

Glancing below,he noticed everyone was for the most parts prequipped.Silently as he could,the grown young lion made his way down the truck of the curving tree.Tanasu had to dig his claws into it deeply to keep from making sound,but once his paws hit the slightly muddy ground he nearly rushed off when he felt a familiar pat on his back along with another one and two feet pushing right below his shoulders.

Tanasu groaned flatly."What do you want,Obika?"

"The question is,"The young adult Vervet monkey began with a small chuckle,coming up and crossing his arms atop of the lion's mane,making sure he saw him."What's so important that you're in a hurry?"

"We've been through this."He reminded him,trying not to sound exaggerated."When I go somewhere it isn't an automatic invite to tag along."his tone turned inquiring then."What about Leera?Break up again?"

Obika pretended to look elsewhere,asking innocently."What makes you think I dumped her again?"

"Because every time _she_ breaks up with you you're on me like a leech."Tanasu sniggered knowingly.

He recieved a detested look in response but only saw the primate stand and then fall back dramatically in a sprawled position."You're right,"he admitted with a melancholy sigh."I am but a hopeless cause."

The two kidded around for a few more minutes,before Tanasu went off on his own.He rarely left from up in the tall branches.Today,however,was an exception.Though he had gotten into the normal habiets of lions,the influences in his life had been intermingled with old customs when he made the transistion as a cub.Now he strolled along a worn,narrow path through tall grass that lead to the edge of the jungle.

His umber eyes averted and swept across the powder blue sky,a slight breeze teased the ends of his nearly full grown mane.Still feeling presaged,Tanasu continued down further for a while into the plains until he felt knots of hunger well up in him.Inwardly remonstrating himself for skipping on breakfest,he managed to come across a coconut lying off to the side of a tree.Pleased,the lion stuck a single one of his talons into it and uncorked a piece of it.Nimbly,he scooped it into his paw and tilted his head back.

When nothing hit his partially parched tounge,he tried to give a little shake.Failure to get it out that way had him peeking up into the hole he had made,only to have some of it spill into his eye.A faint stinging made him squinch but the snapping of a nearby twig brought him to alert.Feeling hunger pains instantly within him,he sat the unshorn fruit aside and crept forward to where he could get a clear yet careful look.

_This must be my lucky day_.He thought with a confident grin as he spotted a lone gazelle grazing near.

Tanasu's slow and nearly quiet advancement towards the deer-like animal was going quite better then it normally did.He was getting better with practice,however.Once or twice he saw it's ears swerve and it stand paused from nibbling on grass but always it resumed it's peaceful self-indulgence.With one goal in mind,the lion aligned himself with the currently still gazelle and then sprung forward to claim his prize.

But just as he managed to startle the animal into recoiling in surprise,he saw to his surprise a contender cut him off and stand in his way,one of it's claws already clinging to the gazelle's thigh to merely hold it in place.Before him was a tiger around his age,with striking deep blue eyes but an almost dark fierocity about her as she bared her teeth and tried to ward him off just by staring at him.Tanasu thought quickly as he saw no other option,he wasn't a fighter.It simply wasn't in his nature to battle just for some food.

"Why don't we share?"He suggested hopefully,attempting a friendly smile."You know,halve and halve."

The tigeress snorted at him contemptuously."Don't make me claw your eyes out.If I hunt a meal down myself,it's mine.If someone else hunts it down first and I claim it,it's mine.Right now,this gazelle's mine."

Tanasu frowned,unconvinced."That's a pretty selfish view on life.Where I come from we learn sharing."

"But you can be born somewhere and be brought up somewhere else."She remarked almost to herself.

He tried to ignore her bitterness."Look,I'm not leaving until we compromise."his tone was steady as he approached her,though she wasn't paying him mind."I'm hungry,you're hungry.Can we agree on that?"

"_Hey!_"Her attention snapped back on him more prepotently,jerking around so hard the eligible gazelle was able to gallop away but almost limpingly."You..."she exposed her fangs in a snarl."You cost me."

Tanasu was sure she was about ready to strike him out,when she paused in the midst of tackling him to the ground.Her dark blue eyes travelled to the side of his face and narrowed figuringly.After moments of indecisive tension,he saw the tigeress's face soften slightly only to hold a stranger look spread across her features.She looked him at him from top to bottom and shook her head as if she didn't understand.

"What is it?"he asked her tentatively,more then a little curious.

"That mark on your face,"She muttered quietly,still a little wary of him."You're name is Tanasu,isn't it?"

The lion blinked and grinned slightly."Yeah,"he replied modestly."Wow,I never knew my name was so popular around here.You know,I would've thought that by now people wouldn't be out and about..."

He trailed off when he saw her turn and walk away,apparently dispirited for some reason.On impulse at seeing someone in trouble,he hurried and came up alongside her to try and find out what was wrong.

"It's nothing,"The tigeress told him evasively."If you don't remember,you don't remember.That's life."

"Remember what?"Tanasu nearly insisted,barely noticing their pace was quickening.

He knew she knew more then was telling and kept up with her as they engaged in an arguement over the whole situtation.They became so absorped in fact that they didn't notice as a rattle snake lay coiled up and undetected as they came near.Only when the tigeress was in the proximity of the deadly snake as they passed,did Tanasu take notice and immediately shoved her out of the way just as it lashed out.

The two ended up in a pile of arms and legs away from the rattler but as it advanced,Tanasu got ready to take it on when he witnessed the tigeress regain her composure and frighten it away before he got a chance to act with a simple threatening growl that lasted all of four seconds.Put off that she had pushed him aside when he clearly had it under control,he confronted her before she tried to leave once again.

"Just who do you think you are?!"Tanasu demanded in frustration."First you act like you are going to kill me over a meal,then you just give up and walk while knowing something."he stared her down and got the notion she was starting to feel some of the heat."Now you won't even thank me for saving you?"

"I didn't ask to be saved."Was her vague reply.

He squared his eyes."Then how do you know my name?"

She shook her head and explained levelheadedly."It's not worth it.Anyone from around here I knew in the past would have surely forgotten me by now."her words were sober."And I won't find out either."

"What's your name at least?"He asked her more sympathically as he allowed her to pass him.

He saw her freeze up,almost like the phantom of her past had shooken her down to her soul.To Tanasu witnessing this,there was something about this tiger that seemed to hint towards her identity.But he had to dismiss it as it seemed impossible,it was impossible...wasn't it?A part of him wanted to know but the other part just wanted to do as she was doing and not face the past.But that wasn't right.Nothing good ever came of running away and Tanasu may have not been a lot of things.But mostly,he wasn't a quitter.

An idea formed in his mind and he came up to her as she remained silent."It sounds like this is the first time you've seen this place for a while."he inhaled and offered slowly."Want to join up for just a while?"

Imani looked at him in near perplexion."What?Just like that.We haven't seen one another forever."she turned away."It's not uncommon for the ones even closet to you to forget.That's what I want to do."

"So?"Tanasu shrugged it off like it was nothing."It's been almost forever and you still knew who I was."

The tigeress rolled her eyes and told him sardonically."Like it'd be hard to forget your face,I don't even know if your own mother would love it."she sighed,seeming to give the matter serious thought and then turned to lock eyes with him firmly."Do you live somewhere that's fairly secluded and out of the way?"

"Uh...well,sure,why?Are you trying to avoid someone?"

When she didn't divulge anymore detail,he didn't press her.Obviously whatever life she had lead or was still leading wasn't a very idol one.Though Imani could be pushy if not crude,she was still his friend after all this time even and he just couldn't leave her on her own like this.It was entirely all up to her decision.

"A tiger's nature is to travel alone."She admitted truthfully,an undertone of consideration."But I do need to get away from a bad situtation."her eyes sought into his deeper as their gazes held."They're after me."

"You mean _they're_ trying to capture you still."Tanasu stated solmenly,understanding instantly."Did you finally escape after all this time and come here with them on your tail or has this all happened before?"

"I've gotten away before but it never lasts long."Imani awnsered coldly."Forget it,I better get going..."

"...With me."He picked up her trail off quickly,nudging into the side of her face briefly to get her to face the other direction."It's alright,"his words were assuring as she turned to him skeptically."It's the safest place around these parts and you can stay for as long as you want."he turned encouraging."Trust me?"

A long pause ensued and Tanasu was almost sure she was about to decline,when a rustling noise in the bushes sounded and as a brief alarmed expression crossed Imani's features,she hurried off the way he had indicated;with him following along close.The two moved side-by-side for a little while at a fast jog.

"The sky is darkening."She stopped and pointed out casually,her cobalt eyes turning skyward.

Tanasu's gaze drifted up not long after hers and he saw the waning of the medium blue day now turning an almost lavender color,with the rest of the colors fading into more warmer shades in the west part of the sky.Nodding,he took the lead and soon the edge of the forest came into view,which seemed to be cluttered in nightly shadow.To his relief,everyone had turned in early for the night as they sometimes did and it made Tanasu wonder if they had noticed his absence as they approached the pitch black fortress.

"The jungle,"Imani marvelled with a highly impressed note in her voice."Not bad.Where do you sleep?"

"Where do you think?"He laughed good-naturedly and bounded up to one of the first branches on one of the nearest trees,allowing of one his front paws to dangle down."Up in the trees and off the ground."

"I thought you couldn't climb for coconuts."

Tanasu shook his head with a grin."You're about to find out how much someone can change over the course of several years."he offered his paw down to her."But I can't really say the same for you,Imani."

She merely scoffed."Don't get too confident.Tigers are just naturally better then lions,it isn't our fault."

For the first time,she sounded as if she were kidding.The two of them quietly advanced to the highest of the tree tops and he watched ponderingly as she eventually went to sleep if they really were safe where they were.But more importantly,he pondered over Imani's predicament and remembering the promise he had made long ago to her to be there for her no matter what,Tanasu felt more determined then ever.

_To Be Continued_...


	6. Listen to her heart

The next day...

Imani was running.She wasn't sure to where yet,but she wasn't stopping until she got there.Fumes of dirt kicked up from under her pounding paws against the somehow dry saharah desert.Her surroundings obscured her vision most of the time but still she saw the occasional sun shriveled,rugous dark figures that may have been trees at one time.The sky,when she saw it,held a strange cast of deep scarlet.But Imani was sure that it wasn't dawn.Then,she turned forward and looked at what appeared to be bars to a cage.

Realising she was still mobile,the tigeress came to a halt with the impression she might run into the cage.As she did however,the cage merely moved on and with it came the golden hued visage of Tanasu as a cub.His tuft a chestnut mane and his unusually calm brown eyes staring back at her as she stood there in disbelief.Determination coursed through her then and she charged back after his gradually if not painstakingly slowed dissipation.But before she could reach him,his image was gone as if it never existing.

Gasping,a grown Imani shot up and sat rimrod straight on the branch her feelings over whether or not it had been real flooded her mind and she could hear the tiny,faint thumping of her erratic pulse intermingled with her panting.Imani could already tell it was day by the rays that peeked in through the leaths overhead but what got her attention was that Tanasu was nowhere in sight;almost like before The strangest of noises started not far from the base of the tree she was in.So quietly,Imani prowled down to see what it was.

"Guys,there's an easy way to settle this."Tanasu's voice laughed with light amusement as the image of him and four primates resembling Obika,only smaller,appeared near the outskirts of the forest."Now,"he deftly plucked an orange-like fruit up,making sure not to slid his long brown talons in."There's four of you,right?"

Their aggravated and competative attitudes faded,as they adopted curious,wide-eyes faces.Although Imani was slightly impressed at his rather charismatic show in front of the young Fervet monkies,but felt that she had to tell him about the position she was in.Imani knew what they were forcing her to be,she had anything but little doubt in her mind that they would hunt her down via the tracking device they made her ingest and destroy all she saw around her.Hesitantly though,she approached Tanasu as he was still teaching them all.

"...Simply place the fruit upon the ground,place your claw stubs on the top of the fruit and bring back your claws."he explained in a coaching voice while performing it himself and watched expectantly as four perfect slices formed."Voila',four equal slices of melon you needn't fight ove,courtesy of your neighbourhood lion."

Excited chattering and fast gratitude were passed at him as they snatched up their claim and headed off in the direction of the jungle.Imani watched them scampering by,wondering if this was always how it was.But sighing with purpose,she turned continued toward Tansau who lost his confident edge upon seeing Imani.

"Um...hey there."he greeted her demurely.

She tried to appear as less intrusive by giving him an amible a smile as she could must."Hey."

"Hope I didn't scar-uh-surprise you when you woke up and found me gone."He admitted,nearly sorryily.

"I would've gotten up anyways."Imani replied this time coolly,adjusting more to his presence.

Tanasu stared straight at her,but to her it felt more or less right through her."Is something the matter,Imani?"

Feeling slightly guilt stricken she was reconsidering not telling him,Imani turned to begin explaining it all to him when wild playful yelps echoed from off to their side and a herd of small monkeys came galloping in a group of jovial and disorderly mannerisms,they set their sights on Tanasu as the target and in seconds they had engulfed the lion in a greyish-brown fur storm.Laugther erupted immediately as they trundled about.

Imani stood off to the side,watching with unsureness."Tanasu,I need to speak with we just..."

But before she could go on,a fold in the crazed baby primates formed and she found herself the next and involuntary victim as they plowed her down,poking and tugging at her playfully.Imani could hear Tanasu's small apologies but it dissolved away as she gave in to the ripples of risibility travelling light-heartedly into the fully dawned sky.Somehow they managed to detangle themselves though and start away as the young monkeys were called for then.Tanasu and Imani started out into the plains then,ecstacy surrounding them.

Later that day...

After having mostly gotten to know each other a halve of the day,Tanasu now led Imani to a spot where he had visited off and on over the years now that they had returned to the jungle.What surprised him though was that they mainly only talked about his life;both past and future.While she had greatly contrasted him by only selectively mentioning about two young creatures called 'childern' who Imani thought very highly of in the time she had been forced to spend during all those years growing up around creatures called 'humans'.

"Well,this is the place."He exclaimed with a grin,a gleam of hope in his eyes

The path they had tooken had led them up onto a grassy esplanade that jutted out and dropped down to an occasionally lapping stream that appeared to be dotted by light pink stars that skimmed it's azurous surface.

Imani stared with rapidly developing interest."There's so many of them.But where do they come from?"she asked him,staring now intentatively at them as they seemed to grow number and nearly blanket the water.

"These flowers fall from trees scattered all over this jungle,"Tanasu told her,eager to get her to talk more.

He heard her sigh wistfully and it made him turn to her.She had grown into an aesthetic yet very formidable tigeress,she still held herself very proudly when it suited her and she could almost be a clone of Rashow in some ways;much to Tanasu's slight agitation.But to see her so discomforted like this about her past made him concerned for her,even more so then he had felt before.He didn't know why,but even without a single word exchanged between them on the matter of her living conditions,he understood her.Did she,however?

"My father showed me these types of flowers before,"Imani explained after a while,her demeanor unusally softened by a faraway exertion that bestowed itself onto her."He said my mother use to love them as well."

"Your mother?"Tanasu pressed curiously,unknowingly treading into deep water.

"She died when I was born."Imani spat resentfully.

"Oh."he commented vaguely,embarrased.But then he thought of a better suitable question."Know what kind these flowers are called?It's a good thing to have an idea so you'll be sure not to pick a poisionous one."

As she shook her head,he dove headfirst into the water as she was preoccupied by thinking over his more thought-dwelling question.The once the clear,sheened water met his body and he went under,Tanasu saw from a few feet just below the surface as Imani glanced frantically around for him.Not wanting to keep her in suspense,he paddled over to the side and emerged just on the side of the cliff.Panting a bit,he pulled forward his dripping mane and examined some of the dorring flowers.With a smile,he chose a huge one.

"Tanasu!"Imani was finally calling,slight panic clenching her voice."Where are you?Did you hit your head?"

It appeared as if she might've been ready to leap into the water as well,when a soaking wet Tanasu made a re-entrace silentlly but quickly onto her other side.Imani stared at him for a moment and then momentarily she seemed to find an entrancement in the tiny drops of water that clung percariously to his whisker's tips.

"What were you thinking?"She scolded him demandingly,her voice critical."What if it were shallow water?"

"I still got you one."Tanasu aruged with unboasting triumphant.

Imani blinked in confusion."Got me what?"

"This."Was his simple reply.

Tanasu brought up the bangs of his mane to reveal that a short-stepped fushia flower that had pedals that reached out so far they curled,with small brown dots on them was safely closed between two of his teeth and as she shook her head in amazement at how far he had gone to impress her,he stepped forward and slid the flower behind her ear.Imani in turn gave him a knowing look to which he smiled a bit sheepishly and in the end resulted in her rubbing her head up against his soaked mane.Overwhelmed with relief that he made her happy,Tanasu returned the favor and he felt that it would go on forever;opposed to only minutes.

"Do you hear something?"Imani asked suddenly,sqauring her eyes about the ledge that sat upon.

"No,"Tanasu replied,perfunctory to her concern but felt her weight shift away from him,causing him to have to act quickly before he leaned all the way down sideways."_Whoa._"he composed himself."What's wrong?"

"I don't know,"She shook her head as if to clear it,also seeming to rid herself of her dazedness."Maybe-"

Before Imani could finish,a quick crumbling sound filled the air and they collasped into the water,fragments of earth beneath them hit it first however.Sloshing around,Tanasu managed finally stab his claws into a fallen bit of earth by it's soil-coated roots and drag himself onto the wavering piece of land.The same could not be said for Imani,who was having a desperate time staying afloat.Hurriedly,Tanasu leapt from where he sat and swam over toward her to take her by the scuff of the neck before she went under.Trying to block his surprise at discovering Imani could not swim,the lion started over to a lower rectangle of broken off earth.

"Hang on!"He told her asssuringly,thrusting her onto it just as the water's current picked up pace,unnoticed by Tanasu though."Hey,"his words came out in short,relentless breaths,nudging her gently."Are you okay?"

Slowly,Imani's lids rose and her at first fuzzy vision focused to see him gazing down at her concernedly.At first she wanted to swat him away because he was so close but the warmth and trust lingering in the depths of his deep brown eyes caught her off guard from reacting brashly.But before they could do anything else a new,roaring noise filled the air.Unphased,Imani rose to her feet and walked passed Tanasu to the ending.

"Do you hear that?"she asked slowly,her voice almost inaudible."It sounds almost like lion or tiger's growl."

Tanasu wrinkled his brow in concentration and listened."Sure do.But it sounds more like an elephant..._es_."

The color in his face drained when he realised they were dangerously nearing a small water fall,white froth and semi-think fog cut his view of the sky and the sound only grew more searing.Thinking fast,he spotted a small hill near the low bank and immediately began trying to paddle in that direction;with Imani's assistance.

Every splash and paddle they made seemed to be in vain however,as they only succeded in nearly dropping overboard.Any hope seemed to be a thin expectation at this point as they were merely feet away,when the lion caught sight of a vine that looped just above his head's reach.Giving a nod in it's direction,he hopped up and circled his arms around it,with Imani hugging onto his waist.The two dangled their for a minute as more pieces of land drifted by,before Tanasu pushed his shoulders back and gave one mightiful lunge forward.

Ground once again met his feet and he nearly felt the urge to embrace it,when he heard a delighted laugther emitting from over to his side.Looking over,he saw Imani trying to regain her composure as she stood a bit shakily to her feet.Instictively,Tanasu moved under one of her arms and helped her the rest of the way but only to be droven back onto the ground and held down by one of her paws into the full center of his chest.

"What did I tell you about saving me?"She inquired through narrowed eyes,her demeanor perfectly frosty.

Tanasu offered a helpless grin."Uh...not to?"

"That's right,"Imani purred slyly and helped him to his feet,her expression brightening."Let me for a change."

Scuffling playfully,the two ventured back off into the jungle.Shouldering,pushing,wrestling,while the fact that their kind wasn't really meant to be together never registering as more then trival to the twosome but as an even more important fact remained shoved out from Imani's mind,the threat of the Tamer hunting her down.

As well as those she was associating with.

_To Be Continued..._

LP


	7. Nothing is forever

_Later in the afternoon_...

The once lavender sky now seemed to attenuate into deeper shades of darkening sapphire as Tanasu and Imani trotted side-by-side through long blades of grass that formed randomly in clumps around the otherwise dirt coated earth.Though the day was starting to signal it's end,the two had been getting along amazingly since the river rescue that had been earlier.

"You _actually_ learned to hang from your tail!"Imani exclaimed,her voice and eyes marked by bedazzlement."That's by far the craziest thing I've heard you say.I mean,it has to hurt."

Tanasu chuckled slightly."When you wrap it around for the first time and jump all the way down as fast as you can headfirst."his grin was replaced by an uneasied look."Yeah,it hurts."

She was about to suggest they turn around and head back as she wanted to become more acquainted with everyone when she felt a light wiggling around her paw.Imani would have ignored it,had it not intensified and trying to keep her suspicions from being brought to the lion's attention,she ambled over to the side and began to look down at the offensive paw.

"Im?"he inquired with a note of intrigue over to her."What is it?Something in your paw?"

"Give me a second."She replied as if nothing were out of the ordinary and began to look.

Imani had forgotten that the Tamer had placed a band around her paw along with what was called a 'homing device' and although she hadn't been sure at the time what it did,she only guessed that it jiggling and pulsating a faint red light meant only one thing:he was after them.The tigeress had waited far too long and now she had endangered others.But could he find out where she had been with the homing device or only where she was now currently?

"Hey."Tanasu sounded more concerned as she looked up at him."Is everything okay?You know you can tell me anything,"he said this with such sincerety that Imani's heart fluttered.

She gave him an appreciative smile but only shook her head."I think I'd rather show you."

"Show me what?"He asked her curiously,raising a bow.

"You'll see,"Was Imani's curt reply and she turned to face eastward."It will be a long trip but you won't know how serious it is unless you see it yourself...are you willing to see it?"

Tanasu smiled confidently."More then willing."he frowned."It'll be late when we get back."

"It will be."

Normally,she would have teasingly asked if he had a curfew or something of the sort but it wasn't the time for joking around.But as they started at a fast run with him letting her gain a lead,Imani felt trapped within a realm of guilt.She hadn't just told him straightforwardly.It was partly due to her initial shock of seeing him again and,she grudglingly admitted,to live an averge life for a while.To be a free and happy,opposed to caged and whipped on occasion.

It seemed like an eternity as they galloped through the waning lights of the day,dirt kicking up at their heels.Imani had to remind herself every step they made closer to the place that she was doing the right thing.Because really,she couldn't imagine telling him.Was it too late?

"Where here."She told him,unenthused,as they neared a low slope of land with a grove.

"Uh...'here'?"Tanasu echoed her in confusion,eyeing the sandy,almost scarce land that was starting to lead out into the desert."Could you be a little more specific on where 'here' is?"

Imani's only awnser was a jerk of her head down past the grove and when she headed on down,he blinked but quickly followed suit.She knew she shouldn't be there,she was being a fool.But this was the only way she could think of telling him without fumbling with words she knew she couldn't get out.Her years of near isolation from her kind had not helped in the least to develop her social skills but she knew she had to do this and with great urgency.

A subtle grey was falling over the dirt and sprays of mingled sandy plains.From down the inward slope they pawed down,an old low,rising truck and two ramshackled wooden trailers with cheap white paint stood at an arc before them.But knowing that wasn't what he needed to see,Imani quickly led him around and over to huge,semi-type truck right behind all three of them.The two did not halt until they were at the rear end of the large automobile.

"What's this all about?"Tanasu asked her straight out,sounding unpleased at having to go all this way so far just to see these strange things."And what are these things?Wait,are they-"

"_Prisons_,"Imani spat disgustedly under her breath,reaching up and clasping a long metallic handle with both of her paws,turned and swung open the large white door."Yes,they are."

At first it was nothing but pitch black but as the shadows subsided with the late afternoon light that shone in from the opening door,it came to be seen there were at least four rows of neatly aligned metal cages on top of one another.They looked to have thick,indelible bars and were only spacious enough to accommodate a single person;or in this case,jungle cat.

"This..."She heard him gasp in horror,breathing hard."This is incredible!I mean,oh no..."his dark hazel eyes fell to her as he questioned her sharply."Imani,did you know about this??"

"Yes."The tigeress admitted instantly,trying to mask her shame."Let's go,the others are in-"

Tanasu hindered her by leaping in front of her,asking gravely."Why didn't you tell me?"

"That isn't important."Imani replied calmly,locking eyes with him momentatrily before letting them drop to the glowing band around her paw."They've tracked me down with this thing."

"And you led me here!?"His explosion of words sounded so accustory,Imani wasn't able to meet his eyes a second time."I don't believe it!You set me up and I fell for it so easily."

She gave him an abrupt look upwards and told him defensively."No,Tanasu!I didn't,the only thing I did was wait too long and then I forgot until this band started glowing.The only reason I brought you here was because..."her words trailed involuntary."I just couldn't..."

"You could,you shouldn't have,but you did."He said through gritted teeth and then dashed away.The fall of new night encased the young lion's body into a suit of light shaded ebony.

Tanasu heard her start after him,then,he heard a piercing cry in pain.Like rapid fire,the lion whipped around in time to see that Imani had collasped to the ground and was even more horrified to find a long gash running down the length of her shoulder and partway down her arm.His eyes quickly moved to where he saw an enormous creature glaring at the fallen cat.

"Useless beast!"He scolded raspily and struggled to bring back his leg in a position to kick her as she was just barely rising up now."Comin' back here,not lettin' us finds you so that we can find us some 'nother beasts like ya's.But nah,you go and just screws it up right nice."

Adrenline and sudden rage cancelled out Tanasu's common sense and he immediately went for the two-legged creature.Having the element of surprise on his side,he was able to take down the primate-like being and they started to grapple about for a few moments.The first thought on Tanasu's mind was to relieve him of his whip and so he locked his jaws around his opponet's wrist but recieved a very brash conking to the top of his head.Still,he held out.

"Tanasu!"Imani's frantic voice cut through his steely determination to keep a hold on the biped's arm."That's that one human,The Tamer.We need to leave,there's another one too."

Though this sounded very unlike her,he refused to let him up.His nature wasn't harsh,nor in the least a fighter.But just seeing how brutally this human creature had assaulted her without reason,caused him to lose control.The Tamer had gotten in a few more punchs but Tanasu finally caught his arm and pinned it to the ground with his claw.For lack of teeth or claws in the match,The Tamer was able-bodied enough to be able to nearly push Tanasu off of him.

"You can't win."He heard her explain next to him,completely resigned to giving in."It isn't going to do any good Tanasu,I've tried many times and only have these to show for them."

Tanasu wouldn't look at her,he couldn't believe she was ready to give up like this and he still had yet to get over the fact that she had lead him here.Why?If his mouth hadn't inclosed the human's arm,he would've demanded further detail.The cocking shell of a gun trigger was next in his range of hearing and looked up only to stare death in the face;in the form of the end of a barrell.His ghastly fate seemed sealed and he closed his eyes,bracing for the pain.

"_RUN_!"Imani roared commandingly and lunged high above Tanasu,her body stretched out to it's fullest length as she pounded her front claws into the would-be assassin's shoulders.

"Imani?"He was jerked out of his venegeful trance and was feeling unsteady."What're you-"

The man groaned.Imani worked her mid-deep claws out and the human fell with a thudding.

She turned to look at him with a steadfastness to her dark blue eyes,eyes that matched the color of the fading daylight.Tanasu not only saw a beautiful,headstrong tigeress anymore,he saw something else...care.Honest care filled her eyes and made him feel rooted to the earth.

"You need to go warn the other lions in your pride,"she told him firmly."Please,I'm sorry."

He glanced down at her slightly gaping wound and back up at her,hesistant."You're hurt."

"I've gotten worse,"Imani smiled reassuringly."I'll be fine."she turned solemn again."Leave."

Once he saw her going for The Tamer as he returned to his feet,Tanasu knew that she was right,one of them had to warn of the impending danger of the human's return.He would have given anything if it were him staying behind,the thought of fighting greatly unsettled him now that he was in his right state of mind again.Though there were two main reasons he dreaded.

The first,was leaving Imani on her own.Although he hadn't forgiven her completely,he felt at this moment his undiscovered love for her blossom.It had been there from the moment he'd met her but he never fully realised it until this critical moment.The second reason was that he was going to have to face the inhabietants of Pride Rock again after all this time.

His old home where he had never quite been popular and to face another possiblity,the fact that he had let his father die trying to save him possibly.But maybe his father had survived after all.One way or another he was going to have to convince his old pride of their endangerment,but he couldn't promise that they would be safe and he certainly couldn't promise to himself that they would in the least bit even consider hearing him out.

No,he couldn't ever make a promise without breaking it.

_To Be Continu_ed...


	8. The new heirs

_Along his journey home_...

Tanasu didn't know how long he'd been running,the pounding of his feet on terrain he had not spent much time upon in those last years coupled with the threadbared sight of large dark trees that seemed to lower their long branches down at him caused time and even reality to become non-existent.He was just running,his mission was ill-concieved and he was nearly out of energy.

But the fact that his family was in danger kept him going.Tanasu didn't know exactly how far or long or even if he would return home but he never ceased his pace.Imani needed him,his father and mother needed him,Ceere needed him and he wouldn't let them down.The night seemed as if it would never end,though eventually he could make out a low strip of pink out in the horizon.

Easing his resistence towards satisfying his pressing fatigue,the lion slowed to a trot and felt his lungs bursting with pants of exhaustion.Hunger knots tightened his stomach but he ignored the rather irritating signal as he found himself in more lusher lands compared to the desert's plains.

Even with his nocturnal vision,Tanasu couldn't make out completely disticnt images.His left eye he found sometimes seemed not as helpful,even though the only thing that had been wrong with it when he was a cub was it's appearance.As he patiently took in his surroundings,the golden rays of morning gently began to fall over the lands in wide,glorious shafts;these were the Pride Lands.

"I'm home,"he stated in a low,amazed voice to himself."It took me all night but I actually did it."

Feeling inspired,Tanasu was suddenly recharged with what he felt it would take to get his news across to others and forgetting all the now seemingly trivial worries such as hunger and feeling weary,the young lion let out a rare roar of victory and charged in the direction of Pride Rock.

_At Pride Rock_...

The penetrating ascoutics of an unfamiliar lion's roaring sent a jolt of surprise to the young and still somewhat drowsy lioness atop the edge of the grey stone that jutted out quite far.Her light green eyes roamed the savanna until they locked onto the small dot of a figure moving quickly.

"Looks like we have some company."A deep,cool male voice spoke from behind her and a large silverish lion with a dark grey mane took up residency beside her."And from the looks of it he is in a hurry,"he continued,vexed."In too much of one to realise he's seriously trespassing."

"Rashow,hush!"Ceree partly scolded,not in the mood for his competitvness this early."He's just probably someone who got lost and needs a little help."she turned to face the still onsetting lion.

"You know how I feel about stray lions wandering around your family's lands."Rashow told her with a hard sigh,his shoulders lifting a bit as he went on solemnly."I only care about our future."

"I know,"The lioness agreed softly,nuzzling the side of his neck briefly and then turned when the other lion was close."Hello there."she greeted him in a cheerful voice that carried down as he started began to slow."Welcome to the Pride Lands.Is there something we can help you with?"

The stranger in question was male and was around their age that approached them with a sort of uncertainess."Ceree?"he called her name after a few moments anxiously."You are Ceree,right?"

She blinked in surprise and assumed a slightly more careful demeanor."Yes.Can I help you?"

Suddenly,the lion's muzzle split into a wide grin."It's me Ceree."he announced,a little breathless sounding now that he drew nearer."I know it's been a while.Well,a long while anyway and I..."

The lion trailed when he seemed to sense Rashow's harsh gaze driving into him.Ceree noticed this but was too caught up in how eager the newcomer was.Something about him seemed eerie yet familiar.She was about to ask his name,when she heard Rashow utter a name from long ago.

"Tanasu."He had slight disgust edging his words.

Ceree gave a small gasp and turned from one lion to the other.It wasn't that she ever gave up on the possiblity of her brother's return but time had tooken a toll on her and had caused her once more innocently ignorant hopes to come into question.Still,she found herself saying her brother's name under her breath and sprinting the rest of the distance to see him for the first time in years.

_Tanasu's view_...

To see his sister nearing him with a wide smile was almost a dream,he had actually anticipated a more formal meeting between him and his family but welcomed her nuzzling hug to the side of his mane.Tanasu was almost shocked to experience a tiny amount of tears gathering up in his eyes.

"Hi sis."He greeted her warmly in a near-whisper.

"Hi yourself."Ceree kept smiling happily and took a few steps back to give him the once over.

"You've..."Tanasu let his voice trail,shaking his head in disbelief."You've really grown."

She nodded,this time a little uncertain."And you have too."

"Ceree!"A voice from a higher level of Pride Rock called out summoningly."Come here,please."

The two of them turned to face that direction,when Tanasu found himself getting a chance to take her in.She wasn't as big as Imani and her fur held more brown then red in it's coloring now.Guilt that he hadn't attempted to return home earlier rose up when she turned back to him,still smiling.

"Stay there."Was her simple command,a hint of promise lingering in her words as she left then.

"Uh,Cer..."Tanasu began try to hail her but finished uneasily to a much newer presence."...ee."

The large silver lion observed him unpleasantly for a moment before saying."It's been a while."

Hearing his voice confirmed Tanasu's suspicions,as he replied politely."You're right about that."

With an air of composed haughtiness,Rashow moved forward and slowly began to circle him in a sort of examination,to which Tanasu responded by making more abrupt turns to keep up with the other lion.A strong wave of apprehension washed over him,as Rashow finished circling him and returned to his previous post.Tanasu was about to face him again,when he heard him growling.

"_What do you think you're doing back here,you deserter?!_"Came Rashow's hissing tirade,his muzzle nearly in Tanasu's face."After being gone this long you think you can simply come back?"

"I-"He fumbled for the right words and took a step back,trying to explain calmly."I've only come back to tell you all something important,Rashow.And it's important that I speak to my dad and-"

"You're family."Rashow interrupted,sounding firmly in control of his bitterness as he moved back so Tanasu could see him fully."Has had enough grief and devasatation over your absense,loser."

Tanasu gaped slightly."What?"

"That's right!"The other lion acceded more viciously this time,his calm gone."You're family had such high expectations for you and there was actually some potentital for you if you'd hadn't of run off,disgraced your family name and now you've returned...well,"he paused before we went on to say thoughtfully."I suppose some of it you cannot help,having sullied male genes anyhow."

"What do you mean by that?"He asked warily,rising up a bit more on his front paws.

Rashow only shook his head in disappointment."You always were slow to get things."he moved forward again and caused Tanasu to quail back."Do you know what happened after you left?Can you even guess the burdening decision your parents had to make that only added to their grief?"

"I didn't mean to..."

"Shut up!"He said sharply,as he now had Tanasu on the ground."I'll tell you what they had to do in order to have an heir for the Pride Lands,they had to make Ceree a princess.Which,is rightful."

Tanasu's brow settled into a firm line."Let me pass to speak to my parents,"he requested soberly.

"No."Rashow sat down and extracted his claws in and out on a smooth-looking stone."I won't."

"You don't have the authority to do that."

"Oh,"he smiled smugly."But I do.Think about it,freakface.What's the male version of a princess?"

It took a few moments before it dawned.Rashow was now prince.Tanasu hung his head enough to be able to examine a beetle-type insect crawling passed his paw and the idea nearly made him want to crush it in frustation.Why was this happening?Why did he come here in the first place?He didn't remember right away but it came back to him.Imani needed him,his family and friends also.

"Let me _in_..."Tanasu spoke the last word threateningly,exposing his teeth and began forward.

"Give me one good reason why I should?"

"Because were going to be underattack!"He blurted out,eyes and voice reflecting fear."The same creatures that took me all those years ago have come back and they want to trap us all and kill-"

At rapidfire speed,he felt himself drove into the ground and pinned.He tried to struggle and fight the other lion off of him but from a day and night's worth of exhausted energy,Tanasu didn't have the strength to remove him.He could only shut his eyes,listening to the rival lion's erratic breathing.

"Listen to me,"he seethed in his ear."No one wants you here.Ceree's may care about you but I'm here to tell you you're just a joke.I know how much your father wanted a son he could be proud of and all he wound up with was you.You could never do anything right but returning to the Pride Lands was your biggest mistake yet.And as for your poor mother,what would seeing your trashy mug around here be like for her?I'm giving you one chance,Tanasu.Leave here and never return."

Flashes of him playing around with Ceree,of his mother spending individual time with them,of his father chasing after him ran through his mind.Rashow had to be wrong.He had to be.Tanasu wasn't sure if it was the sound of someone else approaching or his name being called out but the depth of Rashow's words finally sank enough to cause his inner guilt to shred through his spirit.

"Tanasu!"He heard a different male lion's voice shout after him.But it was too late,he was gone.

_Even when you were gone_,Ceree thought to herself sadly,watching his fading form._You weren't forgotten_.She turned to look out of the corner of her eye down at Rashow who was down upon the ground as she and her parents stood atop the tip of the rock._Did he say something to him_?

_A few hours later_...

Tanasu laid out on a low branch of a tree,his limbs dangling as he brooded and went in and out of sleep.There was one thing that was clear as day on his mind,even as sleep tugged demandingly at his senses.He was going to have to rest up and head off the Tamer and whoever came.It was going to be risking a lot but he had to help them somehow,even if the majority didn't believe him which he felt ambivalent about.For now though,he tried just to sleep and regain some energy.The rememberance of Rashow's words echoing through his mind._You're a joke_..._disgrace_..._a loser_.

A deep worry for Imani was sustained through it all.She had to be okay.For the second time in his young adult life,Tanasu felt a dampness to his eyes.He felt very regretful for doubting ever her.

To be continued...


	9. Listen

_Back at Pride Rock_...

Ceree mulled by the small pool of water not far from the giant stone structure,her thoughts were conflicting.Why had he returned?Had he always been able to?And what was Rashow and her father discussing that it could not be with her?There was only one thing that stood out above all the rest that made sense;Something had happened between him and Tanasu.

She hadn't the proof nor the will to demand anything from him.Despite Rashow's obstinate demeanor that reflected somewhat of her father's,he was generally very caring to her and her family.Although they had their bouts about what had happened to her brother,as well as other things over the years,his show of love for her overcame his anger and assertivness.

Nearly always,anyways.To Ceree he had been an outlet from her parent's constant and sometimes heated debates over who would assume the crown.Neither one sided with one oppion and both of them had doubts,to pass it down to Ceree would signify Tanasu's absense even more but to hesistate would mean to prolong the kingdom's impaitence on who would be their next leader.In the end,Ceree had spent most of her time with friends.

"It's a beautiful day,"She heard her mother declare lightly and glanced over to see the older lioness paw around the small body of water and lay down directly opposite of Ceree."And the lands are teeming with new life.Just think,that's going to be your job not too long from-"

"_Mom_."Ceree cut her off pratically."Don't go all 'take-in-your-surroundings' on me and get me to clear my mind from our problems."she sighed heavily."Did they get through talking?"

Kiara shook her head and rolled onto her back,basking in the noon sun."No,not yet dear."

"How can you just say that?"She insisted,slightly impatient."When were just as much a part of this as they are.Why would Rashow want to have a conferece and want to exclude us?"

"That's the way males are sometime,"Her mother replied lazily."They always want their way and if they don't get it,watch out!"she gave a sparkling laugh."You do wonder,don't you?I always did admire your idealism,Ceree.Now just relax for a while,all right.And then listen."

Ceree's mind drew a blank."Listen to what?"she asked in perplexion.

"Shh,"Kiara silenced her softly."Close your eyes and listen."

A bit grudingly,the young lioness complied and soon both mother and daugther were quiet but with their senses acute.Some time passed with no occurence of any sort apart from the low caws of some type of birds.Ceree was about to tell her mother this was a total waste of time.The days for longing,the days for hoping,the days for having faith in the promise her mother had once told her were over.Yes,she had said that Tanasu would return but he had left almost as quick as he had arrived and Ceree was now finding herself ostracized from the position bestowed onto her.Though,she had never wanted it because it was Tanansu's.

She was tired of not knowing,she was tired of putting up with Rashow's muttering of her brother's name under his breath when he believed she couldn't hear him and now he was requesting a private secession with her father without telling her anything.No way in heck.

"Stay."Her mother told her with some firmness,not even seeing Ceree rise."And listen,"her tone sank back to being calm."Just for a moment,Ceree.Close your eyes and listen,honey."

The hint of sadness that rarely rose in Kiara's voice had been in her repeated words and Ceree did as she was told.She closed her eyes,she rested her chin on her paws and listend.

A tumble weed made a slight spranging noise as it tumbled about the foot of the desert.

_I've got to hold him off long enough for Tanasu to get help,I must_..._I just must_...

The frenzied chatter of monkeys filled her ears.

_Where is he?He's been gone far too long with that tiger_._Obika,do you know where he is?You told us he told you about her,what's her name,Imani just about two days ago_.

A tired grunting and the sound of a low branch creeking made her nerves rack.

_I've got to get back to Imani,I've got to do something_._Even after what Rashow said it still wouldn't make sense not to do something_._But heading off that guy after I fought him and know how tough he is,it'd be insane_._But it'd be even more insane not trying_.

The last voice was more familiar but the next came to her as clear as day.It was Rashow's.

_Apparently your son's either been brainwashed or has simply turned against his ways of life_._Either way,Kovu,I heard him threaten to capture and possibly kill us all if we interfered with the imprisonment of other animals in the Pride Lands_._I'm sorry to say this but your son is not only a deserter,he's a traitor_._He's turned on his own pride,sir_.

"NO!"Ceree screamed in disbelief,leaping to her paws.

"Ceree,what is it?"Kiara was instantly to her paws as well,examining her daugther urgently.

"I..."her brow furrowed as she connected her gaze with her mother's,inquiring strickenly."I heard Rashow telling dad that Tanasu's a traitor for threatening to capture us,didn't you?"

"Dear."She spoke slowly,coming around until they were only a foot from each other."What do you mean 'Tanasu's a traitor for threatening us'?Is that something he told you,Ceree?"

The lioness shook her head fiercely."He would never do that.And even if he did,it wouldn't be to me but then..."her resolution faltered."Rashow wouldn't do that to us.Especially not to me.He-He wouldn't make up a story like that to dad just for selfish reasons.He wouldn't."

"Of course,"Kiara agreed encouragingly."We have to think this through.Where exactly do you think you heard him say this,Ceree?Was right before he and Kovu went for their talk?"

"No,I heard it just now."Ceree explained nervously,not sure she should be telling this after her outburst and the fact that she didn't have much to go on."It's too hard to explain,Mom."

But the longer she looked into her mother's soft brown eyes,the eyes of her brother's,the more she felt compelled to divulge the truth to her.They hadn't spent a lot of time together over the years as much;at least not as much as when there had been four member's of the family present.Though this was her mother,her friend,Ceree loved her and trusted her more then anyone.Except for Rashow,of course.No,no one close to her would intentionally harm her.It was crazy for her to ever assume Rashow could possibly be trying to frame Tanasu or that Tanasu would betray them somehow.It was just crazy to think all of that could happen.

"Well?"She pressed gently.

"Nothing,"Ceree musted a small,almost willing smile."I just figured something out."

Kiara tilted her head a bit."And what would that be?"

"What you wanted me to hear."she nodded over to lilting sounds of the harmonious choir of African Barbet birds up in the high branchs of a tree near them,the colorful birds flapped and fluttered their wings as their pitchs rose higher,causing a sort of resplendent feeling to wrap over Ceree's jumble of mixed up emotions.For just one moment,she was truly happy.

Almost as much as she was when her brother was a part of their life.But still in the back of her mind,she could not completely erase the thought-like dialouge that she knew she heard.

_To be continued_...

**A/N:**Yes,yes.This was a bit of a filler but I wanted to get an inside scoop on Ceree's views (since I have a couple times) and give y'all an idea of what she's been through.The plot will resume and the foundation has now been layed for some serious confrontion next chapter.

LP


	10. Battle onwards

_Continuning_...

Tanasu paced the plains directly outside the Pridelands.He had returned home to check on everyone in the trees,only to find that they were long gone.With his head rushing and his nerves jittering so hard together,he now stumbled through comtemplation with worse case scenarios.Had they been taken?Were they all looking for him?At this point there were countless possiblites as to what had happened.But he didn't know and now things couldn't get any worse.

_It's all my fault_.He ceased pacing and hung his head,ashamed._If I'd only gone back home,if I had only not left from here_._And what of Imani?I'm such an idiot!Just a stupid,unworthy_...

"You're doing what you did years ago,"An amused male voice spoke from behind him.

"Doing what?"Tanasu muttered back pelutantly.

"You're standing here playing the sad-sack-pity-oh-woe-is-me game with yourself."

"Oh,who asked you anyhow."He retorted upwards and started to head further westward.

"So,"Tanasu felt the creature collasp onto him,inquiring lazily."Where we goin'?"

"You're getting off of me."His voice rose as he was about ready to turn around to face whoever was taunting him."Can't you see I'm worried?I have friends and family who're in grave danger."

The creature chuckled and asked a bit egoistically."Is there one handsome,intelligent and above all a real player with the ladies kind of friend you're worried about?"he gave another small laugh.

"You son of a gun!"Tanasu exclaimed in surprise,the image of Obika coming into view."Where have you been?You nearly gave me a heartattack,man.Speaking of which,where is everyone?"

His tan face took on that of concerned."Looking for you."he explained."We didn't know what'd become of you,Su.Where's that tiger who doesn't know humor?Imani,right?What happened?"

The lion's ears folded back and he looked the other way."Well,it's a long story."he said,evasive.

Obika sighed in exapseration,rolling his eyes."That's why you'll never have kits!You need help."

"Help,"Tanasu repeated under his breath and then turned back to his friend determinedly."Have you seen those two-legged creatures?The ones that tried to take us all when we were younger?"

"What?"He gaped in horror."You don't mean to say...they're not really...please say you don't-"

"I do."His words were bold as he held himself higher."They're back and I'm going to stop them."

_Meanwhile_...

Imani could hear The Tamer's low and hoarse curse words as she lie completely exhausted on the earth.Steel bars rose around her as if they had just shot up from the ground itself and stood forever high.Forever imposing over her,enslaving her and if nothing else,defining her.Imani had allowed herself to be taken in as she had no other choice;she never had had a choice with life.

"Faith,"A familiar hushed voice accosted from behind her."Over here."

The tigress closed her eyes and tried to will them away.She loved them and she knew they were in trouble as it were.They'd been taken from their parents for some reason,Imani didn't know the exact reason but she did know it had not been for the same reason she,herself,had been taken.

"Please,girl,"Anna's voice,stronger and stabler then little Kelley's,urged her on."You musn't give up.We've got good news.Our Uncle Paul left the door to his cabin trailer unlocked;We went in."

_Why are you going this far?_she thought,dreadfully._What's the point anymore in fighting this human?I've done it all my life and all it's had done is ended in disaster_._Complete disaster_.

"Kitty-cat,"Kelley spoke quietly and began running her small hands down the jungle cat's broad and distinctive back,ending in a tight hug."We need you.We need you to,hey!Anna,lemme go!"

The girl's loud protests immediately drew the attention of The Tamer who had been unseen from behind the middle trailer.Imani raised her head weakly to see his hulking image appear and begin to lumber over their way.His co-partner had tooken Imani's attack and hadn't recovered but his blazing eyes were not set on her this time,they were set further down onto two innocent childern.

"Uncle Paul."Anna began to speak in a suprisingly controlled manner,quickly coming up to her immobile sister's side and began to half-drag her back in through the bars."It isn't what you m-"

"Just thinkin' you's was gonna take off with meh property!"The old man snarled accusingly as he sped up and over to the side of them,causing Anna to have to almost stumble backwards as her little sister could barely bend her knees."I knew you's two was always up ta sumthin'.Why,"his beady eyes lit up in clarity."I'm a'bettin' it was the two of ya who went in there ev'ry night,right?"

The teen feigned confusion while holding Kelley closer to her."Excuse me?"she asked warbly.

_Run_.Imani kept thinking frantically,her eyes growing moist._You stupid girls,get away from here!_

"You can't hurt us,"Kelley's usually bubbly voice announced boldly,causing all eyes to fall to the small girl."Our daddy won't let you and our mama won't either.You're big and mean and awful."

She immediately found a hand over her mouth,as Anna moved her sister behind her."I'm not going to let you hurt her,"her words were more rational but no less braver,staring up into his ungodly gaze and swallowing hard."Whatever you do,do it to me.She doesn't know our parents are gone."she paused and continued with a shaky voice."She doesn't know that they have died."

Imani watched as the little girl tried to scream a retort but was muffled by Anna's hand over her mouth,the older child went on to say to her uncle that he would be sorry he ever took them out of the United States to try and follow in his footsteps.They weren't men,they weren't cruel and all this time they had spent out here for the last year they had learned a lot but nothing he had taught.

The Tamer clenched his fists and stalked forward,seething."Why,you oreny bunch'a brats.I went and dun did you ungra'ful little girls a favor.If not,you'd'a been gone off to some other's place but the court didn't want that.Them's a-wanted a full-blood relative ta come up and look after ya's."

"We can look after ourselves."Anna replied calmly and slipped Imani a glance as if to ask if what was about to happen to them would be painful,she then looked back to her uncle."Leave us be."

Flashes,memories of all she and Kelley had done for all those weeks and months ago came back to her.They had been tentative of each other,never making the first move but each day they had given her scraps of whatever spare food they had.Slowly but surely,all of what they had done for her now accumulated into this final point where they,themselves,were the ones who're in trouble.

"No!"Imani shrieked,as rage fueled through out her,giviing her enough strength to leap to her feet.

The three turned to her in surprise and before the man was in inches of Anna,Imani thrusted her front paws onto the cage with such full-bodied force that the heavy cage shifted in the ground slightly.Anna and Kelley scampered away as the two locked eyes and waiting until she was sure the two girls were well out of range,Imani smirked deviously at him and gave yet another hurtling.

Once The Tamer had plunged himself out of the way,the tiger took off at full speed and headed in the direction of the forest,careening sharply and having to pound her paws into the ground so as not collide with the face-planted human.Imani was about to go for the childern who were huddled together inside the little opening in the rise of land from the desert when a piercing roar halted her.

Now in a sitting position,she trained her sapphire eyes up to see a large brown lion and a sliverish colored one atop the two rising walls of the opening.As female lions materialised on either sides of the two,the two girls flattened themselves against the walls and tried their best to appear invisible.

"This must be Tanasu's pride,"Imani commented to herself observingly,turning from face after face of solemn-looking lions."But where's Tanasu?"she scoffed."Typical,that guy wouldn't land a slash unless he absolutely had to..."her words lingered in mid-sentence."I know he'd be here for _this_."

He need her,she decided suddenly.Just like she needed him.They could only win together as one.

Before she could act anymore,Imani heard the cocking of at least a dozen or more guns that were behind her.She stood completely erect,realising with terror that there was about to be a battle and Imani was on the wrong side.But then,she never really had been on any certain side to begin with.

_To be continued_...


	11. Halfway over

The day was darkening as Tanasu headed in the direction the sounds of gun shot were coming from,rattling his eardrums and layering the sickening feel of fear within him that he knew all too well.Tall,shadowy trees stood up against the hazy,cloud-cluttered sky.

There was still to be light out for a while and in a few hours just enough to see by.Days now held little meaning to him as he felt this all could've been an eternity.Imani,the new heirs,humans,seeing his family again;he missed his old life but now his mission was clear enough to be heard out in the horizon.Family didn't desert family,it did not matter what Rashow spoke.If it was false,Tanasu would deal with it later.If it was true,then so be it.

"Uh,buddy,"A warbly voice piped up."Please tell me were not going to charge straight through the line of fire and get ourselves killed."he swallowed and went on glumly."We aren't,aren't we?You're going to kill us!No,wait,you're allowing someone else to!But that would almost be like you doing it.Though,instead you're permitting someone else to do-"

"Remember when we said we'd have each other's backs no matter what,"Tanasu made it a point to interrupt,eyeing the primate clinging to his mane over his shoulder as he still ran but slowed slightly."No matter what,Obika.If you break it then it's broken forever."

He regarded him crucially."You're really want this,don't you?They're still you're family."

"My second."The lion faced forward,talking in part to himself."And if I let anyone take any of them,why go on?I promised Imani I'd return,"he looked back up at his friend."I can count on you,can't I?Were almost there and if you want to be let off then just ask."

Obi straightened to stand,crossing his arms."Yeah,I gotta ask something.Why the heck are you slowing down?!"he dramatically raised a balled fist to the sky."Duty awaits us!"

"Now you're talkin'."Tanasu grinned daringly.

The earth appeared ragged and deteriorating as the desert approached them,as did a thick sheet of hazy dust and the savage growling of lions in combat.Tanasu halted and began glancing around feverishly.He could not see.Where was his family and Imani at?

"Tanasu!"Imani's voice rose and called out to him.

_Imani,_He thought alertly and directed his gaze where he'd heard her call."Imani!Where are you?I..."his words trailed off,watching the battle rage within horror-stricken silence.

Tall,unidentifible man held out their long grey booming sticks that gave off a harsh glint in the limited sunshine and when one of the lions from Tanasu's pride would bolt toward the person,he merely aimed and fired with a slight kick-back.Then the lion fell helplessly.

Tanasu frantically scanned and searched for any sign of his family amongst the terrible chaos but came up short everytime.He was about to give up and go for Imani,when he was knocked out of the way gruffly.His gaze landed in the direction of a silverish figure that jostled through the rest to a young lioness who looked to be the human's next target.

Into Ceree...

How had this happened?She wondered as tiny,closely drawn eyes of hollow directed their menacing glare straight for her forehead.Did Tanasu know about this and actually set this up?Ceree bit her tounge harshly and closed her eyes tight._Never_!she screamed silently with justice for Tanasu._My brother would never do that_._Rashow,maybe he would but not_..._no,not Rashow either_._Yes,he would!He lied to my father,he made_-

She thought she could hear her name being called,like a beckoing from her dreams she had use to have long ago from her brother as a cub.A catious cub he had been but this time the voice differed.Louder,in fact.Gravened with care and streaked with full urgency.

Ceree snapped out of her daydream long enough to see Rashow flying out from behind her and batting the creature's destructive instrument out of his hands.Once the weapon went swirling out and dropped to the earth,Rashow went intently at it and pushed it into the ground.He knew it was these things,not the biped creatures,that posed them threat.

Feel guilty that she had ever thought badly of him,Ceree started over towards him as he finished driving the grey thing into the ground.She was neared him and he now looked up at her with a rare yet deeply caring smile.The smile that was made for her was pure as air and more loving then even her parent's love.Then in a fraction of a second,came what Rashow had tried to save her from.The shot.It pierced her through the shoulder so blunt.

So suddenly.Ceree found her weight too much to bear as weakness surged through her limbs and she began to stumble.Her breath caught sharply and instead of falling in defeat as all the other lions surrounding her had,the lioness eased herself dignifyingly onto her hunches and caught Rashow's eye.His look to her now was one of unspoken resenting.

Ceree knew this the moment she laid down.To Rashow's way of thinking,her doing this was like submitting to the enemy.Lying down even when she still had strength to stand in his eyes was her betrayel.But to Ceree it was partly to smite him if he had indeed lied to her father and partly because she had decided on her own that this is where she'd perish.

A few minutes later...

Tanasu still stood aimlessly in the backdrop,in part due to Obika wrapping his long arms around the back of his neck so hard in a slight panic that it caused him to move out and back from the frenzied fray.Though,the loud sounds of scuffling began mitigating slowly.

"The calm before the storm,"Obika commented thoughtfully while gingerly unlatching his arms and stepping back a bit to see over the lion's head."Do you think it's over,Tanasu?"

"I don't know,"He replied with a grimness to his voice,shaking his head."I just don't."

Tanasu felt his friend's feet dig into him a little harder."You-"his voice shook."can't tell?"

"_Tell,_"A sharp voice cut through the diminishing dirt bank that caused the lion to tense."I think I told you a lot of things,Tanasu.And I believe one of them was to not intercept us."

Standing rigidly,he watched as Rashow emerged and stood leering at him with a sort of desire Tanasu hadn't seen before.There was a moment in which he pondered if it wasn't entirely directed at him but found himself ceasing such thought as the two began circling.

He found his voice."If you expected me to leave and let my family down,then you're just mistakened.I don't care what you say,I've never given up on anyone or anything.Never."

"Liar!"Rashow nailed the accusion carryingly."Come off it and confess to everyone thats present that you planned to turn on us.If you were always able return,why did you not?"

"I..."Tanasu trailed nervously but upon seeing the smugness of his opposer,he gritted his teeth and strutted forward until his was nose-to-nose with the slightly larger cat."I will tell you why I couldn't,"he stated matter-of-factly."It's because I didn't know my way back."

The two stood there for a lengthy time,as the air had completely cleared and their were eyes by the dozens watching them.Tanasu didn't dare move or avert his gaze,a single,tiny false move could disrupt the quiet intensity.For once,Rashow was really considering him.

"All right,"he gave a small nod and turned to face a small figure over to their left."Look."

Despite the lion's casual request-sounding command,Tanasu snuck a glance over to see that the catasrophe was harder to look at then he thought.Their were lions sprawled out everywhere and for just a moment Tanasu was ready to lose it when he saw movements.

"They're alive."He marvelled under his breath.

"Their wounds aren't fatal,"Rashow corrected and then motioned over to other forms lying motionless."I can't say the same for them but we aren't the only last two standing."

Tanasu felt a cold chill run through out him."What do you mean,Rashow?Are we sided?"

"No,you must prove yourself."He told him coolly and stepped forward."Those two over there.In order to ensure a safe future and your loyalty,Tanasu,you must kill one of them."

He followed Rashow's paw tip over to two very young looking humans who seemed to have been trying to pass them without being noticed.Now found out,the taller of the two moved in front of the other protectively,meeting both the lion's gazes with determination.

_These must be the humans Imani told me about_,Tanasu thought with a sinking feeling.

"Take the smaller one,Tanasu."Rashow instructed firmly."To prove your loyalty,kill her."

To be continued...


	12. All or nothing

Tanasu looked upon the position he was placed into with a grimness that struck him to the core of his being.Though he disliked the grown ones,the young human that had been selected for him stood back shivering with tears running down her cheeks.The older one seemed paralyzed with fright,unable to so much as breath.

He began to turn in order to protest but Rashow nodded,misinterpreting before the other lion even got out a word.The situtation was unevitable and being who he was,Tanasu was ambivalent to take the human's life based on her innocence.

"Well,"Rashow snapped impatiently."We called a truce,didn't we?Unless you're planning on going against it,I suggest to do as I say and do as I say this instant."

Slowly,seekingly,Tanasu turned his umber-eyed gaze out upon the fallen lions of what was once his future pride.They were sinking into a sort of stupor but were still awake enough to catch his eyes.The first ones he met were both his parents.

Kiara smiled weakly at her son,assuring him she thought nothing less of him but the same response was not from his father.There was not sadness,not indecision but a stone-faced look that his father had likely perfected from many years past.

The next was Ceree but she was far out of it to even notice him and then came what hit home most;Imani.For such a powerful cat and one as uncommonly big as Tanasu himself,she seemed out of place.Her cobalt eyes held a distant look in them and were not focused on Tanasu,not even on the children in peril's clutchs.

_Imani,_he pleaded silently._Do you want them spared?_

As if on cue,she connected with his gaze.Her eyes then went wide with what he guessed could've been surprise for some reason,understood his plight and gave a small nod.It was all she managed could manage from her lids shut and she was out of it.Locked into a strange realm that all the others affected were joining her.

"Three more seconds,loser."

With as much abandonment as he had displayed the night before,Tanasu turned wild and drove his claw across the other lion's silver face swiftly.As Rashow let out a growl of pain,Tanasu quickly interposed himself between all three of them.

"What are you doing?!"He snarled angrily,more so at his defense of the two girls then his striking him."If you protect them they will only grow to kill us someday."

"They can be taught not to"Tanasu reasoned.

Expectation for Rashow to continue the argument was turned against him as the lion lunged out and clamped him on the shoulders so as to shove the other aside.

Tanasu delivered a blow to his gullet with his knee and got the lion to step off to the side.Regaining his breath quickly,Rashow flashed him a menacing look and went for Tanasu again but this time was met by the clash of the other's full bulk.

With his arms dug under Rashow's pits,Tanasu brought back his elbows to give a giant push backwards.The other lion was propelled back a bit as he staggered on his hind feet and his front paws clawed wildly but he managed to drop down onto all fours and hunch back down,his long grey tipped tail whipping anxiously.

"You're going to pay for your betrayal,"his eyes took on total fury."I had always disliked you.Something about you just irritated me to no wits end.As of now my hate for you runs deep and so I will fight you until there is only one left standing."

Tanasu sighed,noted the long scar running down crooked on the opposing lion's face and nodded."I knew you were going to say that but can't we talk this over."

"The time for talk is over."

In a flurry of fangs and claws,Rashow was leaping onto him and the two began rolling along the ground.Even as claw tips scraped his arms and large jaws kept coming down onto him,Tanasu knew what he had to do.The more further away he could carry this fight on then the more chance those small girls had to escape.

He would attempt that much.

Eventually Tanasu had worked himself away from Rashow and began to hurdle forward while keeping a good distance between them.The large lion relentlessly trailed behind him and was picking up speed.A besmirching sky arched upward and mangled trees were what he took in as he perceived his pursuer immensely.

"You can't escape!"Rashow shouted raspily,sounding as worn out as he felt.

What could have just as well been miles travelled brought the two to the tip of a large ravine that stretched either way for as long as the eye could see.The two had to stop to catch their breaths and for one hopefully asinine moment he really thought Rashow would let bygones-be-bygones.They couldn't take another step without plunging over.But that idea drained from Tanasu before he felt the push.

Air assaulted his body but he managed to attach himself to Rashow's retreating arms and pull him down as well.Tanasu folded back his ears and began to try to climb over the silver lion to get back up while Rashow tried in vain to secure a dominance again from under him but both failed in their efforts ascending on up.

The two were dragged down together twice as fast into the deep stretch of land and it was confirmed they would end their battle when Tanasu felt the thumping of his back against the earth.Before he could open his eyes,a great wound to his arm was inflicted.Rashow had gone rabid with what could have been bloodlust.

But before he could commit another slashing,an unearthly tremoring in the floor began and caused Tanasu to roll up onto his stomach.Looking around frantically now,he saw Rashow appearing just as confused as he was.That was before the ground began thundering under his paws and was enough for him to start to run.

Rashow was close at his heels as the two began,strings of faituge strung through Tanasu but he kept up his speed as what appeared to be a long jagged cracking was chasing them._First a killer lion and now a killer crack!What'll be next?!_

Somehow he had managed to gain more speed and peering over his shoulder to see told him that although the large crack was slowing,Rashow had his back leg lodged in a weak part of the ground.Looking forward,Tanasu saw a prospectful place to make his climb back up.Though he could still hear the eerie crepitation.

He know before even having to look back over his shoulder,it was himself or it was both of them.Both of them as in they would both make it or they'd both die.

At this moment another crack was streaking their way on the other side.Tanasu wasted no time in bounding up a sagging but still sturdy tree as the ground about them was fragmenting.Reaching his claw down,he called for Rashow to grasp it.

"Hurry!Grab on!"

Tanasu could have easily made the ascent up from the tree he was atop,instead he waited until Rashow had caught his eyes.They were filled with uncertainity at his offer and he looked away just briefly at the onsetting crack that was just feet away before he finally stared back up at him,eyes narrowed as he leaped on up.

But he did respond like Tanasu thought he would.He took Tanasu's paw in both his own but pulled him back down to the ground where the lion felt his head hit with a slight crunching feel.It throbbed as his shoulder pained him rather gravely.

"If you see Ceree,tell her I'm sorry."Rashow whispered so quickly as Tanasu fell and he,himself,caught on to the branch.Now,he sat perched upon a high branch.

He didn't looked smug for once sitting up there,watching the other lion sprawled out on the ground as the cracks advanced towards him;he appeared unsatisified.

Tanasu thought his life was over,though the last thing he saw before either his or the earth's darkness consumed him was a striped face that looked familiar.As if he had seen the tiger a long time ago but could not place it.With that,he was out.

Only the finality of a lion's shocked roar reveberated off the walls of his mind.

To be continued...


	13. Forgiviness

Dawning light broke across the sheet of black while small pinpricks which were that of stars grazed the surface of the sky in clever formations that as always depicted different eras in time.The tiger had been taught that many years ago it seemed.Sighing wistfully,he peered down to the drowsed lion.

Myron smiled in admiration.He was still in his youth but when called upon to take the throne,he would surely be as great as grandfather before him.A mingling of memories cluttered his mind and he rested his chin on his paw.

He found himself awaiting in morning this way,praying it would bring him a step closer to finding his daugther.The last time he had seen her was when she was in the back of that contraption.Myron,in his prehensile of life,had known it wasn't entirely his fault.Therefore,he could go about with his life.

A great sadness was inflicted upon him but he knew he hadn't earned the title of the guilt-stricken.He was fearful for her,not for his judgement.These events happened every day in their world and had to be accepted as such.

With the full awakening of the day,came the full awakening of a lion prince.

The morning shafts of light stretched up into the trees and into hiding places all around,as that happened the outline of a large cat came was in Tanasu's line of vision.Squinting hard,the blurriness subsided and the tiger that he had seen yesterday came into focus.It was a male by the fringing of white mane.

Tanasu lifted his head and asked simply."Who are you?"

They were on different elevations of rock,the tiger at the top and Tanasu at the bottom but this was the last thing he had expected to happen right after he and Rashow ended the battle.He thought that he'd never awaken again.

"I saved you,"he smiled."As you have saved someone I care for eternally."

"Paying a debt?"

"In a way."The tiger stood and clawed down the tall stone carefully."Come with me and let us talk.There are things that should be made known to you.

Good.Now,these Pridelands go back many years.The inhabitance has seen much and has learned much through trial and error,power struggles and so on and so forth.But let us speak of one I am sure that you're familiar with."

Tanasu knew that at any other time he would have just gone home,he knew he should go and confront required confrontation but at the moment he felt as if this is where he belonged.So he and the tiger fell into step adjacented.

"These lands were ruled by a lion with his son as heir.He was a firm but fair ruler but as usual someone opposed.This lion consumed by evil had a plot to vanquish both father and son.Ironically,"he chuckled."He only got part way."

Tanasu looked at him in wonderment._Who is he talking about?_

"The heir came back and fought for his crown when he was grown,so then a knew generation commenced.However,"he now sounded grave."There were more opposers still,followers of one who had betrayed long ago.Two young lifes were then locked into a fruitless grudge match until they both had grown

but even then they had to battle the odds.Your mother took the most unsual approach to ending this relentless vendetta.She made a speech.Everyone in king Simba's eyes were redeemed.Even though he did not live long after it."

Tanasu swallowed hard."How did he die?"

"A single nut."he sighed sadly."From one of those shooting sticks.He went to protect your grandmother out on a hunt and was instantly killed.His non-lion followers moved on in their middle-age and Nala died from a broken heart."

"The hunters were here even then?."He gaped.

"Yes,they were indeed."The tiger paused at a narrow creek running along in their path and nodded at it as he squated down on his legs to begin drinking.

Uninterested in hearing the rest,Tanasu closed his eyes and went to follow suit.Feeling writhed with refreshedness,he leapt over the small body of water and the two just kept walking in the same direction.Not speaking just briefly.

"Don't mind my asking,"he hastened to say before the old tiger began again." But were you born in any of these time periods?I've never heard any of'em."

"I wasn't much older then your great-grandfather,Tanasu."The tiger marveled him momentarily."You have such resemblence to Mufasa Except for your..."

Tanasu flashed him a warning look and stalked off ahead,knowing the exact words he would utter.He would comment on the sunken spot directly under his left eye as everyone else did.Not an insult but just a comment.Right at this point he now held self-disdain for the mark and just maybe even himself.

He hadn't ever managed to keep any of his promises,his promise to Imani to help her find a better life,his promise to his father he would hold on and most of all his promise to himself he would never dwell on things.Now,he dwelled.

Almost instinctively,the tiger was at his side again."Have you for any reason ever taken notice of the scar that runs the side length of your father's face?"

The new life that had entered him had almost fully become overburdened to the point he felt like he would implode,when the question registered a feeling of curiousty within him.Tanasu met the tiger's eyes and gave him a small nod.

His expression and voice was one of absolute."That was indeed the sign that the great kings of the past had not forgiven.Tanasu,they soverign over all our lifes and even though your father was born innocent,he still held symbolism."

"So what's that got to do with _my_ mark?"he asked,wanting the truth so bad now he could almost taste it."I have a birthmark,he has a scar.It's different."

"Perhaps phyisically,"his muzzle split into an assuring smile."But spiritually,my prince.You are the symbol of forgiveness and mercy.Not just reflected in the removal of the scar upon your family but the true value of who it is you are."

_I'm the prince,_Tanasu turned to look over his shoulder and out upon all the grasslands flooded with amber rays of light."These Pridelands are my own."

To be continued...

LP


	14. The final decision

I.

Imani looked out upon the place she was taken from when she was just a young cub,where the grand,scarlet sun arose until it morphed into a blessed deep orange and a pink before finally shielding itself into a sphere of golden armor.Destined the sun was to always dawn and set on any day,had it dawned for Tanasu?Her father?

"You love him,don't you?"The lioness named Ceree,Tanasu's sister,said knowingly.

She gave a slight sideways glance upon the tip of the rock which they stood."I do."

"Rashow always did give poor Tanasu a hard time,so there's really no telling what happened after we were knocked out.I'd imagine a battle,he always was a very competetive lion.In fact,"her voice turned bitter."That the reason why Tanasu left."

"How do you mean?"Imani asked,momentarily distracted.

"Well,it was a ridiculous bet involving coconuts or something.I don't know.Tanasu may have been a softy and a bit of a weakling when we were young but he wasn't a quitter.If he said he was going to do something,he'd do it.Tanasu kept promises."

Heartache at possibly never seeing him again surfaced.This was the fourth day that Imani had arrived back and it was only now that she was starting to appreciate the one who had stuck by her as best he could,who had encouraged her.The one who had offered her to stay with him,the one who saved her life and who gave her joy.

And not just Imani herself but this lioness as well.He meant so much to so many.

"_My gosh,_"Ceree gasped breathlessly.

Noticing she had drifted off into her thoughts,Imani turned out into the vast lands but saw nothing out of the ordinary.The savannah's trees were never seen grouped together and silverish glints reflected off watering holes.Herding animals grazed and birds woke up to stretch their wings.Nothing unusual.

That is,until she looked more in the direction Ceree had been looking.Time stood still as a figure emerged from the shadows of brush and a few rocks.Imani held her breath and stood up completely erect.The figure was indistinguishable them at this moment.

"Tanasu or Rashow?"She inquired the dazed lioness.

Ceree shook her head,speaking normally."Hard to tell but let's go down there."

Imani hesitated.What if it wasn't Tanasu but the horrible lion who had insisted that Tanasu kill off the human children for little reason at all.Thankfully they had gotten to a phone and contacted other humans who could help them and keep them safe.

As the figure drew near something odd happened,another lion emerged from right out behind the other.Imani was struck with another possiblity.Had they managed to put aside their differences?She scoffed inwardly.Not likely.The silver lion had been hardcore with his rivalary towards Tanasu.A rivalary that'd never end in any truce.

Only one would make it back and the admittance made the world cease spinning.

"It is Tanasu,"Ceree assured her,already racing down to meet the newcomers.

Imani saw the shimmer of golden-brown fur and the eyes of the one she loved the most connecting with hers.Barely containing herself,she sprinted down after Ceree and before the lioness had barely greeted her brother she was nestling herself next to him.His chest felt warm and his breathing soothing as Tanasu nestled her right back.

II.

Tanasu felt a shiver of euphoricness run down his spine at seeing and feeling Imani up next to him.It was the single most greatest experience ever imaginable.He pressed her face closer to his chest with his muzzle,trying to connect her to his heart and protect her forever.But he knew that he could not keep her to himself,not eternally.

"I love you."

Tanasu gave her one more nuzzle before moving away."And I love you."

"What is it?"She asked him.

"Imani,"he stepped back,smiling easily."There's someone who wants to see you."

Standing off to one side,he watched as both tigers stared at each other uncertainly at first.Father and daugther having not seen each other for so long was proving to be a bit awkward.However,moments later Imani had broken out into a wide grin.

"Papa!"she cried and crossed over quickly to him to reunite.

"Nice work,big brother."Ceree told him approvingly as she came alongside him.

He looked at her,pained."I'm so sorry about...you know,him."

"No,"she argued lightly."Don't be.I know you tried your best to reform him but it's just that he always had an all-or-nothing streak.Rashow always went in head first."

Suddenly they were joined by a middle-aged lioness."Tanasu."she greeted softly.

"Hi,Mom."he smiled modestly and didn't think twice about brushing his head up to her cheek,all the while she struggled to keep a straight face so as not to form tears.

"I never stopped worrying about you...You can't leave again...please,don't go..."

"Tanasu."A heavier and this time male voice accosted him.

And then the two lions faced each other.There was consideration in Kovu's eyes where there had always been expectation.He was a lion who put important matters before another's feelings.In a way,he was like Rashow.Born to be disciplined,born to lead a civilization with a firm claw.But there was difference,his father wasn't and would never be Rashow.Even if Rashow was the kind of lion he wanted him to be.

Tanasu wasn't Rashow or his father either.

"Son,"he said without bruskness now."You have returned to the Pridelands and I won't force you to stay nor ask you to leave.However,since it appears we will not be seeing Rashow anytime soon we will be needing a male heir.You,son,as my heir."

"After all that's happened?"Tanasu stated with disbelief.

His father nodded but continued."None of which was your fault.If I had...well,let's just say it can be overlooked as of now.There must be a male heir to these lands."

"We want you home."Kiara paraphrased as she took up residency at his side."We haven't wanted anything more for years,Tanasu.It feels like it's been so long now."

"It has,"he agreed and turned to Imani who stood back a ways with her father."But I have to wonder,could Imani stay with us?"Tanasu turned anticipatant at this point.

The two older lions looked at each other for decision."Yes,son."his mother replied with a small smile."As a friend,she's very welcome.And this tiger that I assume is-"

"No,"he aruged quickly."Not just a friend.I mean,Imani's more then just a friend."

Kovu was immediate in expressing his disfavoring."It wouldn't work out.Tigers are sole hunters while we lions belong to prides and then there's the issue of interbred cubs..."his words suddenly turned tiresome."I understand you but it isn't possible."

"Father,I love her."

"Love hasn't anything to do with it,you must take the throne betrothed to a lioness."

"I won't choose any other."His voice grew firmer.

"Then..."Kovu's temper began to rise but words wouldn't form properly."You're..."

"You're _not_ my father."Kiara interrupted suddenly and they both met one another's eyes,sharing something that only the two of them knew about."That also applies to our son and daugther as well.I believe it's time to let then choose their own path."

"And break tradition?Break the rules of our pride?"He could hardly believe his ears.

She nodded,absolute."Were in tight predicament,Kovu.Until this day our first heir has been absent and we renamed Ceree our second heir.I'm sure one or the other will choose to take it but not both.I think it best that they work it out themselves."

His muzzle opened to protest but he closed it with a sigh,giving a nod of approval to both his children.Tanasu gritted his teeth._Ourselves_?_I can barely even make a decision over what to have for breakfest,let alone who's going to get to rule_.

"I don't want to come between you and your family,"Imani told him quietly,making sure the others were turned elsewhere."This is your birthright,Tanasu.It isn't mine."

He saw the sorrow dwindling in her eyes."My birthright is whatever I decide that it will be."his words were also toned down."If I choose you,then it's totally my right."

"Don't..."she took a breath and held his gaze solidly."Don't choose me,Tanasu.You need to make your family proud.That's why lions are,they're here to watch over."

"Imani-"

"For the lions in their pride and their kingdom."The tigeress smiled soulfully."Do the right thing.Please,Tanasu.I want to be with you but you need to do the right thing."

Before he could say a thing,Imani had stepped back and Ceree came to stand right next to him.She didn't say a word until all attention was on them,her eyes fixed on forward and her carriage stiffened by options rotating within her mind.There was a moment where she seemed to be struggling with something and whether to voice it.

But finally,she turned over to look at her brother.The one that she had never given up hope would return one day even when other's had,the one who probably just as well had saved all of their lifes.It would be hard,of course.Ceree knew that without Rashow around things wouldn't be the same.But then,weren't they ever-changing?

Wasn't that what life was about?

"As current in line for the throne,"she spoke out,her words loud and clear as they managed to travel afar."I hereby wish to remain so.Tanasu,I want to keep my title."

_Are you sure?_He mouthed in fascination.

Ceree nodded.

The sounds of cheering and celebration rose into the now clear blue sky above as winds sent from the kings of the past summoned forth their present subjects.Even a former king smiled down upon them through the rays in which captivated his spirit.

A pressure suddenly appeared on Tanasu's shoulders and he glanced up in time to see a frowning Obika."Just perfect,Su.You get the girl _and_ you get what you want in the end."he collasped in exaggeration on the lion's mane and concealed his eyes.

Tanasu shook his head grinningly."But you wanted me to come home,right?"

He recieved a withered look in response."That's not the point and you know it."

"Let me guess,"his grin turned sly."Royal connections with other primate clans?"

Obika gave him a thumbs up."Bingo!"

The End.

LP


End file.
